Rumor Has It
by leighB26
Summary: Spending New Year's Eve in New York had always sounded like a bad idea to Aria Montgomery. Spending New Year's Eve alone in New York sounded even worse. And starting New Year's Day off by waking up naked in some stranger's apartment with a serious hangover, little recollection of the night before, and no clue as to where her panties were, was an absolutely appalling thought. AU
1. Chapter 1

Spending New Year's Eve in New York had always sounded like a bad idea to Aria Montgomery. Spending New Year's Eve _alone_ in New York sounded even worse. And starting New Year's Day off by waking up naked in some stranger's apartment with a serious hangover, little recollection of the night before, and no clue as to where her panties were, was an absolutely appalling thought for the twenty-five-year-old. Yet somehow, Aria Montgomery managed to do all three.

The sounds of New York City had mocked her the whole cab ride back to her hotel. _Why did car horns have to be so goddamn loud?_ The sunny and cloudless sky didn't seem to care about her condition either. She had no sunglasses or earbuds to hide behind. Hell, she barely had clothes to cover her more important assets. She had found her bra hanging from the branch of a fake tree the man she'd spent the night with had in his apartment and her dress balled up by the toilet in the bathroom. Her heels had been discarded by the front door and her coat had been carelessly left on the kitchen floor. She searched for her panties for 10 minutes before giving up and calling a cab. Deciding that not getting an STD from the seat of a cab was more important than being unbelievably cold for 20-25 minutes, Aria folded up her jacket and sat on top of it for her duration of her miserable ride.

The front desk girl at the Hilton Hotel that Aria's company had arranged for her to stay in for their annual "pleasure" trip gave her a knowing look, as if she too had experienced many a New Year's Day walk of shame through an unfamiliar lobby. Aria gave a small smile, walking briskly to the elevator and praying that none of her coworkers would be behind the doors when they opened. It was 11 am, surely everyone had already gone out for the day…they were older after all with less of a desire to sleep in. But then again, they had all been up until midnight or later the night before so anything was possible.

Aria worked for the publishing company, _Rockstream Press,_ located in the heart of Boston. She'd gotten a job shortly after graduation with the help of her then boyfriend, Liam Green. He'd been with the company for only 5 years at the time, but had family connections that went 20 years back. She'd been hired on as a "gopher" basically. She fetched coffee and papers for her senior editors and other coworkers her who higher up the food chain than she was for about 2 years. It was tedious, but she needed the money and no other publishing company was willing to hire a girl fresh out of college, so she made it work. When she and Liam called off their relationship, Aria held her breath each day as she entered the office, sure she'd be fired. She had slept with his best friend…drunkenly, but she'd still done it. Liam had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her after that. It only made sense that he'd have her fired since he'd gotten her hired. But the hammer never dropped. Liam made a point to be rude to Aria and even got a few of their coworkers on his side, but she was never let go. In fact, 2 months after their breakup, Aria was given a promotion. She now worked, really worked, as one of the company's PR representatives and got treated as more than just a college kid with a dream. Liam and his friends attributed Aria's career boost to the fact that their old editor-in-chief, Jillian, had left, and a new, attractive, and _male_ editor had taken her place. Aria thought their accusations were childish and out of spite. Sure she'd screwed up by fucking Liam's best friend, but she'd been drunk. She wasn't a slut, just a lightweight with little self control. No way in hell would Aria ever consider screwing the boss to get ahead, no matter how desperate she was…or how good looking he was. She wanted to get ahead on her own merit and she had.

When the elevator arrived, the doors opened to reveal an elderly couple with I LOVE NY t-shirts on and a family of 4 dressed for a long day of exploring the concrete jungle. Aria smiled at the people as they filed out and caught the eye of the older gentleman whom she believed was the father of the family. She could feel his judgment, but let it roll off of her shoulder. She wasn't sensitive to what a stranger thought of her. All she cared about was that he wasn't a friend of hers.

The ride up to the 23rd floor was agonizing. With every stop the elevator made, Aria's assumed that a colleague would step in and see her. She thanked a God that she didn't believe in once she stepped onto the patterned carpet of the 23rd floor unseen by anyone she knew.

Her room was flooded with light. The damn maids had opened the curtains, thinking she'd enjoy a nice view of downtown Manhattan when she returned, like most normal tourists would. But being insanely hungover and down $50 from a cab ride that should've been unnecessary didn't exactly classify Aria as "normal". So instead of enjoying the beautiful hustle and bustle of the city below, Aria cursed Manhattan aloud and ripped the curtains closed, enveloping herself in almost complete darkness.

She folded back to comforter of her bed and crawled in, groaning outwardly as if she hadn't brought all of this upon herself, as if the choices she had made last night hadn't led her to this exact moment. She found herself wishing that she could blame someone else. She wanted to say that someone else had forced her to spend the evening in the manner that she had. And in a way, she could. That someone had been a temptress named Tequila Shots. But, somehow, Aria doubted that anyone would feel sympathy for her if she tried to blame that hangover-causing bitch for real.

Closing her eyes, Aria tried to recall the events from her night. She remembered sights, like the ball and the mass of people. She could smell the cologne of the man she'd slept with. She was pretty sure it was the same Ralph Lauren fragrance that she'd given her brother for Christmas that year. _Fuck, I had sex with a man that smelled like my brother?_ She could hear voices, like the one of the bartender asking her if she was sure she wanted another shot and the one of the Ralph Lauren man asking her if she'd like to be his New Year's kiss. She could half remember replying with some cheesy line that only sounded good because she'd been so drunk. Images of this man's naked body appeared in her brain. They were blurry and she couldn't remember details, but she could remember his hesitance. She remembered him telling her that he had never done something like this before and her encouraging him to keep going. Had she not woken up beside him this morning, Aria probably couldn't have recalled what the man looked like. She'd stared at him for a solid minute when she'd first opened her eyes that morning, partly because she couldn't believe that she had done something like this again, and partly because she was relieved that he wasn't someone she knew. The man had light blonde hair and fair skin. His nose was a little crooked, but in way that most people would find adorable. His lips were pink and slightly bruised and he had dents in his face where she assumed dimples would appear if he smiled. Aria felt proud that she still found him attractive even though she was sober. At least she was fortunate in that area. And although Aria couldn't remember if they'd used protection or not, she had made sure to check his trash cans for a used condom. Much to relief, she'd found one.

Her brain seemed to emit an audible buzz as it worked to pull her memories out of hiding. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Eventually she gave up trying to coax her brain to replay her evening and decided to let herself fall into a deep sleep that she so desperately needed.

Aria was pulled from what felt like only 2 minutes of sleep by the ping of her phone signaling that she'd received a text message. She squinted at the sudden brightness that radiated from her phone's oversized screen and blinked at the realization that it was 7:02 pm and that she'd received over 20 texts. A large portion of those messages were "Happy New Year" texts from friends and relatives, but a few were a bit more intimate. Her best friends, Hanna Marin, Emily Fields, and Spencer Hastings had all sent her texts about their "amazing" and "mind-blowing" nights and had asked if hers was just as unforgettable. She typed back sarcastic, yet entirely true remarks, about wishing she could forget everything that happened and told them that she would explain later.

She laid back down, hoping to fall back asleep, but was deterred by a loud growl from her stomach. Only then did it hit her that she hadn't eaten since 7 the previous night. 24 hours and a hangover later was bound to make a girl hungry. Knowing that all hotel expenses went on her company card, Aria picked up her room phone and ordered the most expensive things on the menu. She felt like she deserved to treat herself to compensate for how terrible she felt.

While she waited, she stripped down from her dress and changed into one of her many extra-large sleeping shirts that consumed her tiny frame and finally slipped on some panties. She knew she should shower, but that would have to wait until she satisfied her stomach.

15 minutes later, a knock at her door echoed through her small room. "Just leave it at the door, please," Aria called, not really wanting the bellhop to see her in her pajamas with the world's most noticeable sex hair. She stood behind the door and listened for the footsteps of the worker to fade, feeling slightly like a spy on a mission.

When she was sure the coast was clear, Aria opened the door and bent down to pick up the tray that smelled like Heaven. Her stomach growled loudly again in excitement at the same time the door directly across from hers opened up revealing a tall man with dark hair and a jawline that could cut a diamond.

"Ms. Montgomery," The man spoke with a tone that would be used when addressing a child who was not paying attention.

Aria's ear perked up and immediately turned red. _Holy shit, this is not happening._ Slowly, she lifted her eyes from her tray of food to the man standing in the doorway. _Dammit._ The editor-in-chief of the _Rockstream Press_ stood before her, dawning what she presumed to be his best suit and a smirk that made her feel like a kid who had just been caught doing something adorably naughty. And here she was, no pants on and the sweat of a stranger in her pores _._ She was the girl he had hired to represent his company and this is how she allowed herself to been seen. Aria racked her brain for an excuse as to why she looked like the morning after without admitting that that's what she was. But it was the day after one of the biggest drinking days of the year, and surely her boss had heard about her reputation, be it through Liam or anyone else. Surely he'd heard that she was prone to sleeping with people after one too many. Surely he was already assuming that she'd gotten smashed and slept with a stranger so she'd just be wasting her breath with any excuse she tried to make. She internally resigned herself to that assumption and decided to not make up any excuses. _It is what it is._ Instead, Aria gave a weak smile and nod, saying only two words before closing her door. "Mr. Fitz."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Part 1: Hi guys! I forgot to include an author's note in the last chapter, so I figured I'd put it here. First of all, thanks for the encouraging reviews! I have never shared my fictional writing with anyone aside from my close friends, so I was super nervous about posting this because I thought no one would read or like it. Needless to say, y'all's reviews have surprised me and made me so happy. They're so motivating so keep 'em coming! Constructive criticism is welcome.**

 **When I wrote chapter one, I wrote it with thinking that I would probably never update it because no one would read it, so initially I didn't have a plan. But now I have a solid idea of where I want to take it and I think you guys will like it.**

 **To address what I should've in the first chapter, this is an AU story. Aria and Ezra have no history together. I will dive into their pasts as the story goes on so you can see what kinds of lives they led before they worked together. Also, this is an Ezria story, but as far as romance goes, you'll have to- as Marlene King says- wait for it, wait for it…**

 _Flashback:_

 _"So you work in publishing?" A familiar man with blonde hair and a crooked nose asked, leaning against the bar and nursing a beer._

 _"Uh, yeah. I'm a PR rep at Rockstream Press in Boston. It's not Scholastic or anything, but I like it there," Aria smiled at the man as she lifted her gin and tonic to her lips._

 _The man had introduced himself to her not 10 minutes ago, but for the life of her, Aria couldn't remember what he had said. Adam? Anthony? Something with an A, she knew that for sure. Whatever it was, it was becoming clear to her that she was only interested in him because he had offered to buy her drinks for the rest of the night, and having spent a majority of her pocket money on clothes from boutiques off 5_ _th_ _Avenue, she was not about to turn down something free._

 _"Well, I'm a writer, so maybe you could publish my book?" The man winked, but something told Aria that he wasn't just flirting._

 _She narrowed her eyes at him, "I'm afraid buying me drinks won't help you advance your career. You have to actually be a decent writer. Are you?"_

 _The man laughed and took a long swig of his beer, his mouth twitching as he swallowed. Aria recognized the action as a sign of procrastination. How many times had she seen an aspiring writer during an interview with her boss nervously take a gulp of their water when they were afraid to answer? Some would call not wanting to call yourself good at something, humble. Aria called it fear. "I mean, I'd like to think I am. But it's not my opinion that matters, is it?"_

 _"No, it isn't. You're right about that," Aria deadpanned, having experienced the rejection of things that she had thought were her best work._

 _"That sounded bitter," The man raised his eyebrows as if he'd never experienced bitterness before._

 _"It might've been," Aria shrugged, finishing off her gin. "But it's New Year's Eve and I don't want to dwell on it. New year, new me, as they say." She barked out a laugh at the use of a cliché she despised. The only person who changed at the stroke of midnight was Cinderella, and that- like all things with happy endings- was a fairytale._

 _"I can drink to that," The man said, waving the bartender in their direction. "How about a round of shots? What would you like?"_

 _"You're still buying, right?" Aria teased._

 _"Of course," He smirked as if it was below him to make a lady pay for anything._

 _"Tequila," She turned toward the bartender, "And keep 'em coming."_

"Aria?" A voice that Aria once loved pulled her from her thoughts. She could suddenly feel a man's presence hovering over her, but she didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"What do you want, Liam? I'm kind of busy," Her tone was harsh and her words were short. They'd been broken up for 6 months, and though Aria's heart had healed from his love, it remained tattered from his words. He'd turned her into the office whore and made it a priority to make her feel like a lesser employee.

"Ezra wants to see you in his office," Liam popped his knuckles as he spoke.

Aria's head shot up, her mind kicking into overdrive trying to think of everything she'd done wrong. Ezra wasn't a scary boss, but he wasn't one to spare you of your failures. If Aria had screwed anything up, he'd let her know. "Did he say why?" Her throat felt tight, mimicking the feeling she had in her stomach.

"I didn't ask," Liam shrugged. "You probably screwed something up. It's like you to do that."

"Fuck off," Aria hissed.

Liam made a face like he was going to respond but had decided that she was beneath his comment. He abruptly turned on his heels and walked into the break room, surely telling his buddies how unladylike she was for cursing like she had.

"Asshat," Aria huffed as she stood up on shaky legs.

The blinds to Ezra's office were closed and the door was shut. It wasn't unusual for the man to hide himself from the rest of the office as he worked. In the months Aria had known him, Ezra came off as introverted and serious. He seemed to enjoy being alone and keeping to himself. Unlike the previous editor-in-chief, Jillian, Aria knew nothing about his private life. With Jillian, Aria had known that she was engaged to the man she'd been dating for 5 years and that she had unexpectedly gotten pregnant with their daughter, Jade, during the 2nd year of their relationship. She knew that Jillian had known that she wanted to be an editor ever since her sophomore year of high school when she joined her school's yearbook staff and that she had 2 dogs named Roxy and Bailey. When it came to Ezra, Aria didn't even know if he liked his job. She'd observed his bare ring finger and desk on many occasions and came to the conclusion that he had neither a wife nor a girlfriend. He obviously didn't have any kids and his slacks were always free of animal hair, so it was safe to assume that he didn't have any pets. Aria often imagined Ezra going home to a dimly lit apartment and not uttering a single noise until he began to snore in his sleep. To her, Ezra was more a life-like robot who sometimes smiled in meetings, but otherwise kept to his monotone and unwavering way of life.

Aria knocked tentatively on Ezra's office door and awaited a signal to enter. A curt, "Come in," sounded from behind the wood.

"You wanted to see me?" Aria spoke in little more than a whisper. She knew that Ezra wouldn't blow up on her if he was angry with her, but she didn't want him to be angry with her in the first place. She crossed her arms over her chest, "Is everything alright?"

"Not exactly."

 _Great. Here it comes,_ she thought.

"Lindsey's water broke this morning and I needed her to review a manuscript we were sent on Monday. One of the interns read over it and decided it should be looked at by an editor. Apparently, it's rather good," Ezra sighed and Aria couldn't tell if it was because he was annoyed with Lindsey for not being able to keep her child inside of her for one more week or if he was just all around stressed. "So, I need a favor."

"Of course, anything," Aria nodded. She loved being PR representative, she really did. It was 10 steps up from being a "gopher" for the office. But she yearned for a position as an editor and if Ezra was about to ask what she thought he was about to ask, this was how she'd achieve it.

"Can you look over it for me? All of the other editors are occupied with other manuscripts and I trust your judgment," Ezra gave the slightest hint of a smile.

"Yes, I would love to do that," Aria could barely contain her excitement. Getting this opportunity felt like unwrapping the bike she'd always wanted on Christmas morning.

"Of course, I'll have one of the other editors look over it again once you're finished and when one has time, but your eye will help us out greatly," He walked behind his desk and fished a bound manuscript from one of his drawers. Aria was disappointed to see that it was rather thin, more like a collection of short stories than a novel. She wanted more of a challenge to prove herself, but she couldn't necessarily complain. A manuscript was a manuscript after all.

"Okay, yeah, I totally understand," Aria nodded furiously as he passed her the stack of papers. "I'll do my best to minimize their workload."

"Thank you," Ezra took a seat in a chair that looked five times more comfortable than the one at Aria's desk. "That's all."

"Right," Aria gave a quick, awkward smile before heading towards his door. As she reached for the handle she stopped herself. It had been exactly a week since their brief and embarrassing interaction in the hallway at their hotel in New York. She never apologized for the way she allowed herself to be seen. "Oh, um, Ezra…" She said more to the wall than to him.

"Yes?" His tone was bored, like he wanted her to leave him in solitude again.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry for…uh…what you…saw at the hotel back in New York. I'd had a very rough night and-"

"Aria, you don't need to apologize. It was the day after New Year's Eve. I get that you were probably a little out of it," He gave a little chuckle as if what he'd said was ironic. "I'm no stranger to one night stands. I know that morning after feeling really lasts all day."

Aria wasn't sure how to respond. Was he joking? She knew her sex hair that evening was a dead give away to the activities she'd partaken in the night before, but she didn't think her boss would be so blunt when pointing it out. She wasn't sure if she should feel violated or just laugh it off, so she went with the latter.

"I'm sorry. That was a little…crude. Did I make you uncomfortable?" An emotion Aria had never seen on him before flashed across his features. Concern. Sure, she'd seen him concerned about authors not meeting deadlines and having the CEO up his ass, but she'd never seen him genuinely concerned for another person.

"No, no, you didn't. It's fine," She waved her hand dismissively. When the worry didn't instantly fade from his face, she smirked, "I guess I'm just a little shocked to hear that stoic Mr. Fitz is so fluent in the language of meaningless hook ups. And here I was, thinking I was the only one at the office who spoke it." That made him laugh.

"Funny, Ms. Montgomery," He covered his lips with his hand and pushed down as if he was wiping away his smile. "Back to work."

"Yes sir," She rolled her eyes playfully before exiting his office.

She nearly ran back to her cubicle to start her new task. There was something so raw feeling about being able to read a story before anyone else got the chance- well aside from that intern. Still, she kind of felt like the was popping the story's word cherry. It was practically a virgin to foreign eyes. Taking a deep breath, Aria allowed herself to read the words on the front page for the first time.

 _To Shatter a Man_

 _By: Austin Walker_

 _Flashback:_

 _"I'm Austin and you must be the girl I've been waiting for my whole life," The man with the blonde hair and the crooked nose slid into the open seat next to Aria at the bar._

 _"Wow, that is probably the cheesiest pick up line I've ever heard," Aria laughed, feeling incredibly turned off._

 _"It might be cheesy, but it got you talking to me," The man-Austin- winked. "But all pick up lines aside, I'm Austin. Austin Walker. And I would love to buy you a drink."_

 _"Do you always introduce yourself like you're James Bond?" Aria questioned, stirring the ice of her empty glass around with a straw._

 _"I have a feeling that James Bond would impress you more than I am right now, huh?" Austin let out a pitiful laugh._

 _"Probably," Aria shrugged. "But 007 isn't offering me free drinks. You are. I'm Aria. Aria Montgomery." She mimicked Bond's voice._

 _Austin grinned, "Well Aria, you're mistaken. I said 'drink' not drinks."_

 _"But I said drinks. And you look like a guy who can afford…drinks." She put emphasis on the 's'. A completely sober Aria would never say something so forward and pushy to a man, especially one she'd just met. However, a slightly tipsy Aria liked to present herself as a temptress to get things she wouldn't receive otherwise._

 _"You caught me," Austin put his hands up in surrender. "So what would you like first?"_

 **A/N Part 2: Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter and what you think is going to happen. Did you like the Ezria interaction? Are you surprised that the manuscript was written by the same man Aria slept with in New York? Do you think that's just a coincidence? I'm really excited about this story so I plan to update pretty frequently. Thanks for reading!**

 **-Erin xo**


	3. Chapter 3

The realization hit her like a freight train. She'd slept with the author of the stack of paper that she held in her hands. The same mind that had written those words had formulated the lamest pick up line and charmed its way into Aria's pants. A sick feeling bubbled up in her gut and her head suddenly felt lighter. The same ailments used to plague Aria whenever she'd been caught in a lie by her parents. Although being grounded for two weeks with no phone sounded a lot better than possibly losing her job. Rockstream Press had a strict code of ethics. Rule number one, don't sleep with the fucking clients, potential or current. Any fraternization with a client outside the office was frowned upon. The old editor, Jillian, wrote up some of the younger men who'd thought it'd be fun to sleep with a female author they were contracted to and had dismissed interns who got a little too friendly with clients, believing that they were immune to such termination. It was almost guaranteed that Ezra would enforce the rule just as strongly, if not more. There was no telling how Ezra would react if she came clean now. A part of her wanted to believe that he was humane enough to tell her that it was alright and that he'd just give the manuscript to an editor that could be unbiased while completing the task. The other parts of her said that he'd tell her that she just caused them to lose an opportunity to make money and then take away her job so that she'd suffer the same fate. She understood that it wouldn't be mean; he would simply be doing his job and running a business…and that's what scared her.

Aria felt at a loss for what to do. If she came clean, she'd be fired. If she kept quiet, it could get out anyway and she'd be fired at a later date. Any way that she could go about it felt like drawing straws and always coming up with the short one.

Aria threw the papers on her desk and leaned back in her chair, letting out a distressed sigh as she did so. Life had always thrown her some curve balls, but one as vindictive as this one was rare. It seemed just her luck that she'd be asked to edit the one manuscript out of the hundreds they were sent a month that was written by her strange lover in New York. Of fucking course. It took everything in her to hold back a wicked and bitter laugh. Had she been alone, Aria probably would've began laughing hysterically at the irony of the situation. She may have even opened a bottle of Absolut to celebrate life's hilarious and successful joke. And if she had Austin's number in her phone, she might drunkenly call him and tell him about this crazy turn of events. Semi-consciously making poor choices and drinking alcohol were the two things Aria did best. But Aria wasn't alone. She was in an office full of people and she had to act in an adult manor, no matter how badly she wanted to act like a bratty child.

 _An adult would tell Ezra,_ she thought.

 _But an adult would also have enough sense not to put themselves in this situation in the first place,_ her mind combatted.

 _You have to tell him. He'll find out anyway._

"Ugh," Aria verbalized, shifting positions to put her head in her hands.

The last time that Aria had felt this sick and conflicted had been the morning after she'd hooked up with Liam's best friend, Ashton Studdard. Waking up next to him had induced a panic attack, which she rode out as silently as she could in the corner of his bathroom next to his tub with the door locked. Goosebumps arose on her arms when she remembered the way the cold tile floor had felt against her naked body. It had felt like ice on her skin, so cold that it almost burned. Her tears had gathered mascara, turning black as they rolled down her cheeks and temporarily staining the perfect white tiles. Knowing what she had done, and knowing that she had to come clean to her boyfriend had weighed on her chest so heavily that she could hardly breathe. The already small bathroom became even smaller and and her vision blurred. At that point in her life, Aria had been used to having panic attacks. But what she wasn't used to was having them and knowing that no one was coming to help her.

When she'd finally gathered the strength to get dressed and leave Ashton's apartment, she came to the conclusion that she would tell Liam everything. She thought if she was honest, he would be more likely to forgive her. But that had just been wishful thinking.

 _Flashback:_

 _"_ _Where the hell were you last night?"_

 _That was how Liam greeted her. No 'good morning' or 'thank God you're okay'. No, Liam spared her no pleasantries, though he rarely did when he was upset. Normally Aria would've let his abrasiveness roll off her shoulders. She was used to his condescending ways and his near God-complex for a personality. Nowadays, it was unusual for Aria to do anything without Liam's approval. He'd become more of a father than a boyfriend. She usually had to ask his permission to go out. Although, last night had been different._

 _"_ _Liam, there's something I need to tell you," Aria whispered, looking down at her feet._

 _She could feel her boyfriend's eyes on her. His gaze was constricting, suffocating. If she didn't focus on telling him the truth in way that was least likely to upset him, she'd probably have another panic attack in their front hall._

 _"_ _You slept with someone," He sneered. "You fucking slept with someone, didn't you?"_

 _Aria opened her mouth to answer, but Liam kept going._

 _"_ _Of course you did. You fucking whore. You look like shit. Your hair's a mess. And…" Liam stepped closer, causing Aria to flinch. He'd never hit her, but she wouldn't put it past him to do so today. "That a god damn hickey on your neck." He took his index finger and poked the broken blood vessel roughly. "Who was he?"_

 _Aria stared at the man who used to make her heart skip a beat, the man who used to call her beautiful and buy her flowers just because. She searched his hazel eyes for a hint of the man she'd met years ago, the one who made her feel safe and loved. Instead, all she saw was the man he'd become. A man with a short temper and a poisonous tongue stood over, making her knees shake and her stomach turn. It shouldn't be this hard. She shouldn't be this scared._

 _"_ _Ashton," Aria muttered. She took her eyes off of his, not wanting to see the realization and anger flash in them._

 _"_ _My best friend?" Liam backed away. A look of genuine hurt crossed his features before being replaced with one of disgust. "You fucked my best friend. You seduced the one man I'm supposed to trust with my life. The guy who was supposed to be the best man at our wedding?" He was screaming now. He was so loud that Aria was worried the neighbors would make a noise complaint._

 _"_ _I didn't seduce him, Liam. I was drunk. It was a mistake," Tears pooled in her ducts. "Please, I'm so sorry."_

 _"_ _This is why you don't go drinking without me. See what happens when I let you go off by yourself? You screw up the only good thing you had going for you!" Liam berated through clenched teeth._

 _"_ _Liam, I am so, so sorry. You didn't deserve this," Her voice broke more and more with each word._

 _"_ _You damn right I didn't. And you know what you don't deserve?" He took two long strides over towards her, backing her against a wall and pressing his chest to hers. "You don't deserve a man like me. You don't deserve someone who will love you because it's obvious that you can't love them back. God, Aria, my best friend? That's really fucking low."_

 _Suddenly, Aria got a burst of courage. She wasn't sure where it came from, but she ran with it. "I'm not the only one at fault here. Ashton agreed to sleep with me too."_

 _"_ _This is about Ashton. Don't you dare make this about him. This is about your choice. Your decision to fuck around knowing I was here, worried sick about you all night."_

 _"_ _And he fucked me knowing I was your girlfriend!" Aria screeched, pushing Liam back. "I know that I'm not innocent, Liam. I know that. But you can't act like it was all my fault."_

 _"_ _I can and I will. Ashton and I have been friends since high school I've only known you for 4 years," Liam rolled his eyes as if that fact was supposed to be obvious to Aria._

 _"_ _What the hell does that matter?" Aria crossed her arms over her chest._

 _"_ _Stop trying to turn this on me. I am not the bad guy here. I'm sorry if you don't think I'm being rational here, but my girlfriend just ripped my heart out," Liam pounded his chest dramatically._

 _"_ _And you don't think I'm upset, too? I'm sorry, Liam. I really am. I still…" The words 'love you' got caught in her throat, but not because she was crying. The got stuck because she mentally willed them not to come out. Things had been shaky between them for so long, but now, Aria realized that she wasn't trying to get him to accept her apology. She was just trying to stand up for herself._

 _"_ _You still what?" Liam pressed_

 _"_ _Nothing," Aria shook her head._

 _"_ _I want you out of this apartment," His voice was calm. It sent chills up Aria's spine. His sudden change in demeanor seemed almost psychopathic._

 _"_ _I understand," Aria nodded._

 _"_ _Pack your things and get out. You've got an hour. I'm going to clear my head," Liam's words were short and packed with resentment._

 _He pushed past her, swung open the door and slammed it shut behind him. The vibrations resonated through the walls and in her heart, bringing her to her knees. She began crying harder than she ever remembered crying in her life. Every negative emotion she could think of came to the surface and escaped through her eyes. Anger, sadness, hatred, shame, betrayal, agony, fear, blame. She felt it all. However, the one thing Aria couldn't recall feeling was loss._

A harsh buzzing noise pulled her from her thoughts and caused her to lift her head slightly. Only then did she realize that she had been crying at her memories. Wiping her eyes, she glanced at the name on her phone screen. Spencer Hastings. Her stomach sank even more and new batch of tears threatened to spill over. She told Spencer everything, and due to her tendency to over-talk when she was upset, she knew that she would inevitably tell Spencer what was going on. Deep down, she knew that her best friend could really shed some light on the situation and give her great advice. But on the surface, Aria wasn't quite she if she wanted to know what Spencer had to say on the subject.

"Hello?" As Aria answered she stood up from her desk and made her way into the empty conference room, closing the door behind her.

"Hey," Spencer's raspy voice rang in her ear. "How's it going?"

Aria furrowed her brow. It was 10 o'clock on a Thursday morning. Surely Spencer was at work. She didn't sound sick. And even if she was, why would she be calling her? "Good. Um, Spence, no offence, but why are you calling me right now? Aren't you working?"

"I should be, honestly. But I'm about to explode from reading over so many bills. I figured if I didn't take a break now, I'd probably have a stroke in my office," Spencer explained.

Aria laughed, picturing Spencer laying on the floor of her office or doing something else just as ridiculous as she dialed her best friend's number to escape her current reality. "You're too young to have a stroke."

"You'd be surprised," Spencer deadpanned. "So I asked you how it was going? Please tell me how you're doing, unless of course how you're doing involves a health care reform because then I cannot hear you out."

"I'm doing…okay," Aria cringed. The end of her sentence was too high pitched to cover up any trace of a lie.

"You don't sound okay. What's going on? Is Liam messing with you again?" Spencer immediately picked up on her friend's discomfort.

"No, no. He's still an ass, but he's being an ass from a distance. It's…something else. You see, I kind of fucked up. And by kind of, I mean, I did." Aria could practically see the wheels in Spencer's head turning as she tried to figure out what was going on. She felt a reluctance to tell her friend, but couldn't fight her want to say everything out loud.

"Elaborate," Spencer pushed.

"Okay, well, on New Year's Eve," Aria lowered her voice so that no passing coworker would hear her. "I slept with some guy I met in a bar. Stupid, I know, but it's not a territory I hadn't explored before so I knew how to handle it. Or I thought it did." She paused to arrange her thoughts so they'd come as coherent words instead of as gibberish. "This morning, I get to work and Ezra, my boss, hands me a manuscript to look over. Of course, I'm super excited because I thought this would be my ticket into becoming an editor. Obviously, Ezra likes me enough to trust me with something like this. So, I sit down to read it and guess what? The man I slept with is the author of the damn thing. I'm so screwed. I don't even know what to do. Do I tell Ezra? Do I wait for it to blow up in my face, but hope that it doesn't?" The longer she talked the more she could feel Spencer judging her. In her mind, she pictured Spencer's cocked eyebrow and side eye- the usual look she gave to someone when she didn't approve of their actions. Aria got that look a lot in high school.

"Aria…" Her voice was low. It reminded Aria of one her mother would use on her when she'd get in trouble. "I really thought you'd learned your lesson after the whole Liam thing. You, alcohol, and boys just don't mix well."

"I know, but-"

"I'm not done. Listen, I can't make up your mind for you, but I think the best thing to do is be honest. I think you have a lesser chance of getting fired if you come clean. I mean, you haven't signed this guy right? Maybe Ezra will just deny the manuscript and you'll get a warning," Spencer's words were of little comfort to Aria. 'Maybe' wasn't definitely and Aria wasn't sure she was willing to take that chance.

"A warning? This isn't high school, Spence. Ezra isn't my teacher and I'm not his student who got caught cheating on the homework. If I come clean, Ezra will have no choice but to deny the manuscript and we could potentially lose tons of money," Aria protested, hearing her voice transform from distressed to whiny.

"It sounds like you've already made up your mind then. You don't want to tell your boss," Aria heard the tension in Spencer's vocal chords. She was disappointed in her best friend's choices.

"I don't know," Aria pretended to mull over her options, thought Spencer had been right. She already had her mind set. She had just needed to put everything out in the open. It was like flipping a coin to make a major decision. You flip it, hoping it will decide for you, but can still end up disappointed in the outcome. In Aria's case, Spencer was the coin, and her voice of reason was the cause of Aria's impasse.

"I think you do," Spencer clucked her tongue.

Aria didn't respond for a long moment. Not because she couldn't think of anything to say, but because she knew nothing she said would satisfy her friend. Spencer was always a very logical person. She thought things all the way through before acting and she tended to be honest about the things she'd done. Aria, on the other hand, was impulsive and felt much more comfortable lying until her problems went away. Whether that meant telling herself she was okay when she wasn't, or telling someone else that she hadn't made a mess of things when she clearly had, it didn't matter. A good friend had once told her that she was sometimes better off with a really good lie. And that seemed to be the perfect mantra for her current situation. Aria knew that she couldn't handle another blow up after telling the truth like the one between her and Liam.

"Enough about me. How is it going over in DC?" Aria attempted to lighten the mood.

"Like I said, I think I'm about to have a stroke, but other than that, it's fine, I guess," Spencer sounded tired as she spoke this time.

"How's the single life?" Aria teased. Spencer had dumped her boyfriend, Nick, about a month ago. She claimed that he was too immature and didn't understand government at all despite allegedly interning at the Senate 3 summers in a row.

"Great. I've already got some matches on E-Harmony," Spencer's sarcasm was nearly tangible.

Aria laughed, "I knew you wouldn't be able to keep those desperate, middle-aged men away from you once you put yourself back on the market."

"Don't even joke, miss 'I-can't-date-anyone-unless-they're-at-least-5-years-older-than-me," Spencer scoffed.

Aria rolled her eyes. She did have a history of dating older men, but that wasn't necessarily a preference. She was just an old soul and that wasn't attractive to guys her own age. Not that she particularly minded. Older men tended to be better in bed anyway. "I have never dated anyone middle aged."

"Didn't you agree to go out with a 33-year-old during grad school?" Spencer's voice indicated that she'd cocked her eyebrow in an amused way.

"33 isn't middle aged," Aria retorted. "Plus, we never actually went out. His _wife_ , that I had no idea about, was going to be home that night, remember?"

"Ah, yes. How could I forget the night Aria Montgomery was mistaken for a happy home wrecker?" Spencer giggled.

"God, that was mortifying. I can't believe he actually thought I would be okay doing that. You have no idea how badly I wanted to inform his wife that…" Aria trailed off when she noticed one of her colleagues peering in through the window and giving her a puzzling look. She gave her an awkward smile and mouthed hello, hoping that would satisfy their curiosity. "Uh, Spence, I gotta go. I've got a manuscript to read."

"So you're not going to confess?" Spencer structured her sentence like a statement rather than a question.

"I'm going to sort everything out while I read," Aria half lied. She hoped that the writing would be terrible enough that Ezra would just call Austin to deny his work and all of her problems would disappear along with his dreams.

"Uh huh," Spencer wasn't buying it. "Well if this does blow up in your face, I know someone who works in publishing here in DC. I could probably have him get you an interview."

"Yeah, okay, I'll let you know," Aria muttered, not being able to stop herself from acknowledging how she may actually lose her job if her plan doesn't work. "Bye, Spence."

"Bye, Ar."

Aria brought her phone down from her ear, hitting the end button and letting out a frustrated sigh before walking back out to be amongst her coworkers.

The door to Ezra's office swung open just as Aria's butt hit her chair. She cast her gaze down, hoping not to catch his eye as he walked out to observe his employees. She quickly flipped open the manuscript that she should've been reading for the past 30 minutes to appear busy and engaged although her mind couldn't be further from her work. Aria could feel Ezra's eyes scanning the room. It didn't take long for him to find what he was looking for. And unfortunately, what he'd been looking for was her. His stare burned her skin and made her insides tighten with anticipation. "Aria," He called, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. She looked up tentatively, praying that she was masking her guilt and deception in her expression. "Can I see you in my office again?"

Aria's brain with fuzzy with indecipherable thoughts as she stood and made her way over to her boss's office for the second time that morning. Her whole body felt numb in the worst way possible.

Ezra gestured for her to step inside his office before following her and shutting the door quietly behind them. Aria suddenly felt like a teenage getting in trouble with the principal.

She watched Ezra as he slowly turned to face her with his eyes glued to the ground and his tongue bulging from his cheek. It seemed that he was almost as nervous as she was. What seemed like minutes upon minutes passed, but could really only have been a few seconds, passed before Ezra drew in a deep breath and began talking. "This…this might come off as a weird question, but I need you to be mature enough to not read too much into this."

Aria furrowed her brow. A blow to her ego slightly deterring her nerves. Her entire life, Aria had been called an old soul. That was part of the reason that she preferred older men. She just couldn't handle immaturity. But to hear someone slyly accuse her of being immature despite never having a real conversation with her…that hurt.

"Can you stay after office hours tonight? There's some things you and I need to discuss," Ezra stated in a rather flat tone. And her nerves were back.

"Like what?" Aria cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, Mr. Walker, the author of the manuscript that I just gave you, just called. He demanded a meeting with me tomorrow afternoon to discuss his book. There won't be any time to have another editor look over the story so I'd like you to attend the meeting to give your two cents," Ezra explained.

Aria had to physically keep her jaw from dropping open slightly. "Austin is coming here?"

"You'll address him as Mr. Walker, but yes," Ezra nodded.

"Why do I have to be at the meeting?" She could feel a knot forming in her throat. She was about to start crying again.

"Because you'll be the only one who's read his work besides that intern, and like I mentioned earlier, I trust your judgment," There was a hint of annoyance in Ezra's tone. Clearly, he'd anticipated this to be a quick meeting. "I want to discuss the manuscript in detail with you tonight, but I will have no time to read it myself."

"But-"

"Is this too big of a job for you, Aria? Because if it is, I can always find someone actually qualified to do it, but I figured you wanted this shot. Was I wrong?" Ezra nearly hissed his questions at Aria, who was on the verge of tears.

"No, it's just-"

"Well then if it isn't too big of a task for you to handle, I suggest you get your shit together and meet with me in my office after everyone's gone home," He was angry now. Aria had only ever seen him angry a hand full of times. She felt small in his presence. It was like she had no choice but to agree because if she didn't, he'd squish her under his power.

"Yes sir," Aria whispered.

"You can go now," Ezra shooed her away just as quickly as he'd invited her in.

Aria made a beeline for the women's restroom, blinking back tears the whole way. She wasn't about to let the office see her cry, but there was no way that she could keep herself from doing so. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact she would be losing the opportunity to get her dream job, as well as losing the job she currently had, because of one stupid, drunken incident in less than 24 hours.

She locked herself in a stall and collapsed onto the toilet seat. Salty tears began running down her cheeks and loud sobs began escaping from her lips. She knew that someone could easily hear her if they walked in, but she couldn't help herself. Once again, she'd screwed up the one good thing in she had in her life under the influence. The first time she fucked up, she could call it a mistake. But the second time? The second time was a choice, even if she didn't want to admit it out loud. And even if she could admit it out loud, who would she admit it to? Everyone one of her good friends lived hours away. She had no boyfriend. No family in the area. She had to suffer from her choices without the consoling touch of someone that loved her. So yeah, someone might hear her if they came in. But she knew they'd never ask why she was upset. No one here cared enough. No one would ever know that she was crying over he future and her past simultaneously. They wouldn't know that she was crying over the anger Liam felt and for the anger Ezra felt. And they certainly wouldn't know that she was crying over how alone she suddenly felt.

 **A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing. I love reading your comments so please continue to review. I do take into consideration the things you guys say, so please let me know what you think over the story! I know that there wasn't a whole lot of Ezria in this chapter, but I promise, the next chapter will be loaded with them. I felt like it was more important to tell the story of Aria and Liam's breakup in this chapter and show how that has effected her emotionally and how that plays into the decisions she's making now. Do you guys think she's making a good choice by not coming clean to Ezra? What do you think will happen when she and Austin meet again? Let me know! I'll be updating as soon as I can!**

 **Also, who's excited for the premiere of pll on Tuesday? I know I am!**

 **-Erin xo**


	4. Chapter 4

The day couldn't have gone by any quicker. The hours that usually dragged on and on went by in the blink of an eye. Normally, a day like this would've made Aria very happy. The sooner she could go home and be with her maltipoo, Jack, and help herself to two or three or four glasses of wine the better. However, today was different. Her meeting with Ezra loomed at the stroke of 5 and the thought of sitting across from him, taking his criticism and eye rolling instead of sitting in rush hour traffic jamming to her favorite songs made her stomach sink with dread. Her only solace in the fact was that Austin's manuscript was not up to par with what was normally published through Rockstream and she was sure that Ezra would agree.

Aria watched a little helplessly as the office began to clear out at 5 o'clock. She busied herself with menial tasks like straightening her desk and checking her emails until the last of her coworkers exited the building.

As if he waiting for the moment to arrive, Ezra opened the door to his office the second the final employee stepped out. "Ms. Montgomery?"

For the third time in one day, a record she hoped she would never break, Aria stood up, gathered the manuscript into her slightly shaking hands and walked the distance to Ezra's office. He ushered her in and then closed the door behind him, as if he was worried that someone would here their conversation despite the building being a ghost town save a couple of janitors.

Aria took a seat in one of the two chairs positioned in front of his large, gaudy desk. Once Ezra had found his place in his chair, what Aria presumed would be hours of hell commenced.

"Overall thoughts on the piece?" Ezra folded his hands and placed them atop his desk.

Aria cleared her throat awkwardly before she spoke. "I, uh, don't think that it meets Rockstream's…usual standards."

Ezra furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side. "Elaborate. Please."

"Well…it's childish. His style of writing, his syntax, his storyline. I don't understand why that intern liked it. It sounds like a petty high school play. There's no substance, no meat. It's like the bare bones of a novel, except the bones aren't pieced together correctly," Aria scrunched her nose up, emphasizing her dislike.

"And you don't think that an editor would be able to help him better construct his work?" Ezra reached his hand forward and wiggled his fingers much like a toddler would do when they wanted something placed in their hand.

Aria shook her head, handing Ezra the papers, "No editor gets paid enough to do that much work."

Ezra let out a breathy laugh, "That seems a tad harsh. Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. It's just not good. I don't think it would sell. I know I wouldn't buy it, and I've bought some pretty crappy books." Aria watched him flip open the manuscript and begin to scan the words on the page. His eyes darted back and forth and his lips moved as he silently read to himself.

After a moment, he looked up, "Give me a summary."

"Um, okay," Aria sat up straighter. "Basically it's about a man whore and-"

"I'm sorry, a what?" Ezra raised an eyebrow.

"A man whore. A guy slut. A player." Aria explained, slightly amused by Ezra's ignorance.

"Got it, continue," The look of confusion slowly faded from his face.

"Anyway, this guy sleep around a lot. Mr. Walker had this character banging any woman he came into contact with. Coworkers, strippers, girls at the coffee shop. So after reading several explicit, and I mean explicit, sex scenes, he introduces the main character to a woman that he falls head over heels for. She's apparently beautiful, and because beauty is all that matters in the woman, the reader never hears her being praised for anything other than her great tits and ass," The last sentence came out sounding bitter and Aria hoped that Ezra hadn't picked up on it. "So they fall in love, but because he's slept around so many times he wound up contracting AIDS and learns he's going to die just as he had found true happiness."

"Does he die?" Ezra smirked.

"The author didn't submit that part. I hope so, for the sake of the character. He needs to escape that train wreck of a plot," Aria rolled her eyes.

Ezra shook his head in faux-disbelief at Aria's words as he leaned back in his chair. He opened his mouth to speak, but paused for a long moment before actually making sounds. "It sounds like he has a great idea for a tragic love story, but hasn't executed it well. Which is disappointing because I'm a sucker for a tragic romance." It was Ezra's turn to sound bitter. Aria felt the urge to comment on it, but suppressed it.

"You can read it yourself if you think it needs a second opinion," Aria suggested.

"I might take it home with me to reevaluate, but from what I just scanned it doesn't seem very well written, so I'm inclined to believe you," Ezra looked down at the dreams of Austin Walker and sighed in disappointment. Aria figured that he had been banking on the story being worthy of print so that the company could make money. Although, Aria could not feel more relieved that the story would likely not be published. "But I must admit, now I'm nervous to meet with Mr. Walker tomorrow. Telling an author 'no' is easy when you just send the rejected manuscript back to them. Telling them 'no' in person is extremely hard."

"You could just cancel the meeting? Tell him you're sorry, but we've decided not to publish his work and that it would be pointless for him to come in," Aria tried her best not to sound too eager when presenting the option to him.

"That's where lawsuits come in, Ms. Montgomery. If we don't meet with him, he could find a way to sue us. Trust me, I've seen it happen to other companies," Ezra rubbed the back of his neck.

"He's an aspiring author. How much money do you think the guy actually has?" Aria pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. A lawsuit is a lawsuit and I'd rather not lose my job for getting us into that mess," Ezra shook his head.

"Okay, so meet with him, but make it short and sweet. And if he starts anything, crying or getting angry, whatever, nicely tell him to go fuck himself and then have someone escort him out," Aria shrugged. After high school Aria developed a very low tolerance for people's bullshit and learned that it was best to avoid getting in to it at all cost.

Ezra snorted, "Well I'm hoping he'll act civil, or at least like an adult."

"Men aren't adults. They're overgrown children. Even you, I presume," Aria teased, surprising herself with the boldness of her comment. She'd felt so nervous all day, yet here she was, poking fun at her boss. She supposed this was better than being reduced to tears again, but it was a strange turn around from earlier.

"You're very cynical, Ms. Montgomery," Ezra mused.

"Maybe if you actually took the time to get to know your employees instead of hiding in your office for 8 hours a day, you'd know that about me," Aria seized the casual opportunity to call her boss out on his worst quality.

"I know what I need to know about the people that work for me," Ezra stated flatly.

"Like what? Our account numbers for direct deposit? The time at which we clock in and out? People aren't numbers, Ezra. There's a little more depth to us," Aria explained, her voice rising in the way it did when she was about to get into a debate.

"I don't need to know anything more than the shallow details. I can't start constructing biases," Ezra waved his hand dismissively, as if the thought of doing such a thing was bothersome.

"You don't have to allow yourself to play favorites," Aria narrowed her eyes.

"It'd be hard not to," Ezra shifted his weight in his chair.

"Why is that?" She challenged.

"People have too many sob stories. 'My boyfriend broke up with me' or 'My cat died'. Once I start hearing those, my decision making process would become harder. Should I lay off Suzie today or next month since her dad just passed away? Should I tell Bob that he needs to quit missing his deadlines even though his girlfriend just ran off with another man last Tuesday and he's clearly distraught?" He countered.

"So he does have a heart," Aria murmured.

"Excuse me?" Ezra raised his brows.

"Nothing," She lied. "Look, I'm not saying that you need to know every single detail of everyone's life. I'm just saying that you need to learn to come out of your bat cave and converse with us every once in a while. Let us know that you're actually a human and not just some workaholic robot. And let us know that you see us that way too." Aria felt like a mother scolding her child about his poor interaction skills. It was almost like Aria was trying to teach Ezra how to make friends.

"Is that what the office thinks? That I'm an emotionless robot?" He sounded genuinely shocked. "Do I come off as rude to everyone here?"

Aria shook her head, "Not necessarily rude, just closed off. You're an introvert, I get that. And that's fine for your home life, but you can't be at work. Your quietness isn't intimidating, but it puts people off. It's easy to tell when you want to be left alone. You start snapping at us." Aria hesitated a moment, briefly unsure of whether to include her hurt feelings from earlier or not. "You did it to me the second time I was in here today. The first time, however, I have to say that I was kind of amazed that I could make you smile. I wasn't sure if your lips turned in that direction."

Ezra was quiet a moment. Aria could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he reviewed his actions over the months he'd been at Rockstream. When he formulated a comeback, she swore she saw a light bulb flash on. "Very funny. But like you said before, I AM human. And I am sorry that I snapped at you earlier."

"Thank you," was all Aria could say. She hadn't expected an apology for his asshole-ish behavior that morning, not that one wasn't welcomed.

"So how do you suggest that I change my image around here, Ms. Montgomery," Ezra practically gave her her first tip.

"Well, for starters, strop with the formal shit. I'm Aria. Not Ms. Montgomery. I don't need to be addressed in any special way. No one here does," Aria made a face to mimic her true feelings to be called the same name as her mother.

"Alright, Aria. What else?" Ezra quizzed.

"Second, just have casual conversations with someone in the break room. Here, let's practice. Ask me about my weekend," Aria scooted forward in her chair, ready to be used as a tutor.

"I saw you over the weekend. You were hungover. I can't imagine it was that great," Ezra scoffed.

Aria let her head fell forward in over-exaggerated defeat, "You're bad at this."

"Sorry," Ezra hunched his shoulders.

"How about you open up to me. Show me that you aren't Mr. Big-bad-scary-boss-man after all. Tell me about your life." She coaxed.

"I don't know where to start," He stated.

Aria widened her eyes in annoyance. Surely this man wasn't as anti-social as he was making himself seem. "I'd say tell me about your wife, but you aren't married."

Ezra tilted his head like a dog who was trying to hear better, "How did you know that?"

"You don't wear a ring," Aria gestured to his hand. "There aren't any pictures in your office…of anyone. You've never once had to leave work for family reasons."

"And all of that indicated that I'm not married?" Aria couldn't read his expression thoroughly, but she knew that she was right.

"You don't have kids either," Aria smirked.

"What else can you tell me about myself?" Ezra leaned back and crossed one ankle over his knee.

Aria smiled slyly. She'd been picking up on little details of Ezra's life for quite sometime. Now was her time to present them all like a project. She licked her lips and cleared her throat dramatically before starting in on him. "Well, there's never any pet hair on your clothes, so I'd say that you don't have a cat or a dog. If you had any animals at home, I'd say it was something like a fish. Something that that requires little effort, but makes noise while your asleep. But even that's a stretch. You're at work almost too much to feed it, even as little as fish eat. That fact also aided my theory that you're not married. In fact, based on your work ethic, I'd say you've never been married. I've never seen you touch alcohol at our office parties. You didn't even go down to the bar on New Years Eve. So you either don't drink due to religious reasons, you're a prude, or you…can't drink. You mentioned understanding meaningless hookups to me earlier today, saying that you can relate because you've been there. Once we start into actual adulthood, like after college, we tend to leave the college years behind. We associate them as being a wild part of our life, but we pretend that we were allowed those crazy years because we were young. So I assume that when you said you understand hookups, you meant in the real adult world. You've had them, just like I have. A married man- let me rephrase- a faithful married man would never hook up with someone. And a responsible, divorced father would not bring strange women into his house for a one-night stand. You strike me as a faithful and responsible man."

Aria watched a look of horrified amazement wash over Ezra's features. She knew her apt for figuring out people's lives was probably considered minutely creepy, but it usually did impress those she revealed it to.

"Wow," Ezra breathed. "You have an eye for detail. Are you sure you're in the right line of work?"

"Ha. Ha. It's just something I do in my spare time," Aria shrugged it off as if this was something normal people did.

"You analyze people for fun?" Ezra sounded amused.

"Uh huh. It keeps my entertained," Aria smiled proudly.

"That's an odd idea of fun," He joked.

Aria rolled her eyes, "So was I right?"

"Almost entirely," Ezra nodded slowly.

"What did I get wrong?" She pressed.

"I have been married," He admitted.

"Oh," Aria shrunk back a little. That was not the thing she anticipated getting wrong.

"Surprised?" Ezra narrowed his eyes, almost like he was hurt.

"Honestly, yes. A tad. But you aren't married now?" Aria clarified.

"Correct," Ezra confirmed.

"Divorced?" She questioned.

"I wish." Ezra's face fell slightly and his tone dropped. Aria felt a tug in her chest.

"I'm sorry?" She wanted him to elaborate, although she had a pretty good understanding of what he meant.

"My wife, Katelyn, was killed in a car accident about 3 years ago," His voice was low.

Aria's heart sank, "Oh my God. I'm so sorry." Aria was no stranger to death, having lost one of her best friends back in high school. She was all too familiar with the heavy, soul crushing sensation you get when you receive the news. She knew how many tears were shed and how it seemed like your heart would never recover. The knew the darkness that followed their death for months afterwards. It was a feeling that everyone experienced at least once in their lives, but that knowledge didn't make the pain go away any faster.

"It's alright. I'm alright," He swallowed. "I've reconciled with it. I still think about her every day and I miss her, but I'm over being angry. I can't get her back and I've learned to be okay with that."

Aria nodded, unable to think of anything to say. There weren't any comforting words she could offer that he hadn't already heard. There weren't any comforting words that would fix the pain he felt that day or in the years after.

After a long, nearly penetrable silence, Ezra spoke again. "Really, Aria. Don't feel bad about bringing it up."

"I'm sorry, it's just…" She paused. "How long were you two married?"

"Almost two years," Ezra smiled fondly. "We were high school sweethearts."

"Oh, Ezra. That's…I…that's awful." Aria searched for an adequate response but was at a loss.

"It was," He nodded.

"Have you dated since?" Aria dumbly questioned.

"A couple of women here and there," Ezra shrugged heavily. "None of it has gotten very far."

"Why's that?" Aria bit her lip nervously. This was a can of worms that she hadn't intended to open.

"I always wound up comparing them to Katelyn and no one came close to comparing to her," His response was expected. He'd been in love. You don't just get over that.

"Do you a picture of her?" She leaned forward as if he'd already answered 'yes'.

"Yeah. Hold on," Ezra reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Like any protagonist in a romance novel, he'd kept Katelyn's picture in his wallet.

He handed her the folded piece of paper, asking her silently to handle the delicate thing with care. When Aria opened it up, she found a woman with the brightest blue eyes and biggest smile staring back her. Ezra was in the photo too, his arms wrapped tightly around Katelyn's waist and sporting the largest smile she'd ever seen him with. The woman had long blonde hair with a pink and white lei peeking out from behind it. They looked like they were on a ship, maybe out in the Caribbean. She looked so happy, like nothing in the world would ever get her down.

"That was taken 6 months before the accident," Ezra explained.

"She was beautiful," Aria met Ezra's eyes, willing him to believe her.

"Yes she was. Beautiful inside and out. She would've been an amazing mother," Ezra took the picture back from Aria and ran his thumb over Katelyn's face before putting the memory away.

"Did you two ever try for kids?" Aria's voice was gentle.

"We were trying to get pregnant when she was killed," Ezra shifted his gaze to the floor. Aria felt a wave of guilt for the remarks about him not being a father she had made just minutes ago.

"I'm sorry," She reflexed.

"Stop apologizing. Really, it's alright. You wanted human. Is this story human enough for you?" The question should've come across as condescending or even angry, but instead it was gentle. Like he wanted to make sure she understood that he was a person with thoughts and feelings just like she was.

"Ezra," Aria sighed.

"Enough about me. What about you? It's your turn to humanize yourself," Ezra smiled reassuringly.

Aria shifted uncomfortably, "Um, well, I'm sure you've heard the humanizing rumors about me floating around the office." She laughed bitterly.

"What rumors?" Ezra squinted.

"Oh c'mon. The ones Liam spread. Don't tell me you haven't heard them," Aria spat.

"Oh, those. Yeah, I heard them. But I try not to listen to gossip. Especially not here," Ezra dismissed.

"But you know what they were about?" Aria pushed.

"Yes," He nodded curtly.

"So what do you think?" Aria raised an eyebrow.

"I think that any man who divulges his or anyone else's sex life to an audience is repulsive. I keep Liam here because he's a wonderful and blunt editor, not because he's a good person," Ezra rolled his eyes. Aria smiled slightly. She hadn't known about Ezra's distaste for Liam. "I also think that you're not what he says you are. I think that there's so much more to you. I mean, you graduate from NYU, so you're obviously smart. You're creative. You've done wonders for our PR department. You're an excellent writer. That's why I gave you the chance to edit Mr. Walker's manuscript. I'd love to have you as an editor once a position opens up. You've proven tonight that you're funny. Witty. Compassionate." Ezra flattered.

"I appreciate the observations, but they're rather shallow. Don't you think?" Aria sing-songed.

"Compared to yours, I guess," Ezra admitted.

"Try harder," She demanded.

"How about you just tell me about yourself?" Ezra coyly pleaded.

"Not until you discover something about me worth discussing," She withheld.

"You're turning this into a game," Ezra noted, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from turning upwards.

"I like games," Aria said innocently.

Ezra huffed, "Fine. Okay, well, judging by what happened on New Years Eve, I'd say that you're single. You like to have fun, but you can't handle your alcohol very well. You're a lightweight, but you refuse to act like one," He stopped, scanning Aria's eyes for approval.

"Good. Keep going," She urged.

"You're young. You're what, 25? So, it's safe to say that you've never been married or even engaged. I don't pay close attention to the lint on your clothes," He laughed. "But you seem like a dog person. Small dogs, to be more specific. And because I assume you live in an apartment, you'd have to own a small dog if you were going to have one. You're mature. You don't act your age, and I mean that in a good way. I'd guess you were the oldest sibling. You're definitely not an only child. You don't act entitled enough for that. I over heard you mention going to see your mom on Thanksgiving, but you made no mention of your dad. Deceased or divorced?"

"Divorced," Aria answered. "You're getting good at thins."

"Your closest friends don't live around here. If they did, you wouldn't have taken that phone call today. And yes, I noticed that. If whoever you were speaking to lived close, you would've spoken to them off the clock. Instead, you had to make time for them. Which also implies that you don't see these friends often," Ezra paused to think. "You're a pretty girl. And I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you have always been. And because of that, you were popular in high school. But you're too nice and considerate to have been a mean girl."

"Ergh," Aria mimicked a buzzer noise. "Wrong. I was a mean girl."

"Really?" Ezra sounded taken aback.

"Well, I was part of a mean girl clique. Not my finest moments. None of us were really that awful, except for my friend Alison. She was a class A bitch," Aria hissed.

"So you were guilty by association," Ezra clarified.

"Yeah," Aria slumped. "Being friends with Alison should've been a straight shot to a great high school experience, but it wasn't. Being her friend didn't save you from her snide comments and taunting. And it didn't get boys to notice me because they were all too busy looking at her. I wish I could say that I don't know why I tolerated it, but I do. Being friends with her was better than the alternative, plus she got us into great parties," Aria barked out a sarcastic, breathy laugh. "And she knew way too much about me for me to just ditch her."

"What kind of secrets could a high school girl have that were so bad?" Ezra furrowed his brow.

"Well, for one, she knew who I lost my virginity to and how embarrassing that whole experience was. No one else at school knew because it didn't happen with anyone in Rosewood. I don't know why I told Ali, but I had to tell someone. And she was really good at pretending to care. She was also with me when I walked in on my dad cheating on my mom. He didn't know I saw him, but Ali did. She kept trying to guilt me into telling my mom, threatening to do it if I didn't. That truth eventually came out without either of our help, but still." Aria could feel old anger building in her chest. It had been years, but she still couldn't forgive Alison for some of the things she'd said and done. Her level of cruelty was inhumane.

"So you just waited until college to get rid of her?" Ezra asked.

"Not exactly," Her voice turned monotone. "Ali went missing the summer between my junior and senior year. She finally pissed someone off enough that they got revenge. She was found just after graduation in a hole originally dug for a gazebo in her backyard. She'd been buried alive."

"Holy shit, Aria. That's horrible," Ezra lurched forward, like he was going to grab her to comfort her, though she didn't need it.

"It was crazy how awful I felt when I found out she had died considering how fucked up our relationship had been. But she was still my friend, I guess. That's why it hurt so much," Aria confessed, her head hanging.

"I understand. I'm sorry," His voice had lowered back to where it had been when they'd discussed Katelyn. Aria gave him a grateful smile, knowing he really did get it. She liked when people were real with her instead of just offering her empty words of sympathy. "I would've never guessed you went through something like that."

"No one's story is blank, Ezra," Aria retorted.

"You're right," He offered a boyish grin.

The two sat in silence for a while, listening to the words they'd just exchanged over the last hour reverberate off the walls. Neither of them had expected the meeting to turn out like this, but the conversation had just come about so naturally. Nothing felt forced or awkward. Both Aria and Ezra felt like they were talking to an old friend.

The quietness was broken by the rumble of Aria's stomach. Her cheeks to turned pink and her hand darted to her belly as if that would dampen what was going on inside her intestines.

Ezra laughed to himself and checked his watch. "I think we're good here. I don't want to hold you hostage all evening. Go home, get some dinner."

Aria giggled, "Will do. You should get home, too. Feed that fish of yours. He's probably just as hungry as I am."

"She," Ezra corrected.

"She, sorry," Aria said sarcastically. "Seriously, go home."

"Goodnight, Aria," Ezra drew out his words playfully, as if he were annoyed by her presence.

"Goodnight, Ezra."

 **A/N: Wow, that was a lot of dialogue! But it was so much fun to write. I hope y'all enjoyed reading it! What'd you guys think of all the Ezria? Do you see their chemistry starting to form? How do you think they'll wind up getting together? Also, brace yourself for the next chapter. Aria, Ezra, and Austin all in one room. Yikes. Do you think the truth will finally come out?**

 **I love hearing what you guys have to say, so please review! Hopefully it won't take me another 6 days to upload the next chapter. I was swamped this week between school and work. Next week should be a lot smoother for me, so I'll be able to write more. Can't wait to read y'all's reviews!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Just a warning, the topic of rape is briefly discussed in the chapter. Please don't read if it might be triggering!**

He was late. Austin had scheduled his meeting with Ezra for 3:00 pm that Friday. Most authors would show up 15 to 20 minutes early, often times brandishing gifts like coffee or a fruit basket, in order to make a good impression. Even though the decision was usually already made and no amount of time or gifts could change it, no author seemed to want to try their luck by showing up late and empty handed. No author, except for Austin that is.

Aria and Ezra had been sitting alone in the conference room for 17 minutes awaiting the arrival of Mr. Walker. Neither of them had said much to each other. The stoic exchange of pleasantries had sufficed for both anxious parties. Last night's level of intimacy seemed to have dissipated with that morning's sunrise. Ezra had filled her in on his final decision to decline the book for publication and asked curtly how her night was. Aria, who was almost too nervous to speak, managed to squeak out that her night had been fine and that she was glad that he was denying the manuscript.

Aria bounced her legs up and down underneath the table and tapped her index finger on the lid of her water bottle that wasn't completely filled with water. She'd needed a little liquid courage, but not too much that she'd start slurring her words or be incapable of driving home in two hours.

"You alright down there?" Ezra eyed her from the other end of the table. His lips showed the ghost of a smile, like he'd been staring at her for a moment in amusement before he'd said anything.

"Honestly, no," Aria sighed heavily, pushing out her lower lip as she did so.

"You've got nothing to be worried about," Ezra laughed lowly. Before continuing, he stood up from his chair and moved closer to her. "You don't even have to say anything. I just wanted you here in case he asks to speak to the editor who read it. Hopefully, he won't. My hope is that he'll take the news like a man and leave quietly."

Aria bit on the inside of her cheek and nodded. She wasn't worried about the rejection. She was worried about the recognition. Bits and pieces of her rendezvous with Austin were coming back to her, and if she was remembering correctly, she had been a lot drunker than he was. In fact, he probably could've passed as relatively sober. It was more likely that he would remember her face than not, and that terrified her.

"Okay, if he's not here in the next 5 minutes, I'm cancelling. This is getting ridiculous," Ezra huffed after checking the Rolex on his wrist. Aria's stomach rolled with anticipation. Time only had to give her 5 more minutes and she was home free. Her New Years Eve screw up would never come to the surface. If the odds were in her favor, in 5 minutes she would never have to come clean.

"Aria, seriously, calm down," Ezra narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'm sorry," Aria sheepishly brought her eyes up to meet his. "This is new territory for me." _Yeah, I've never slept with and then done professional business with a man before. All of my one night stands had previously been one and done deals,_ her mind bitterly spat at her.

"It isn't fun," Ezra admitted. "But, it's nothing to lose sleep over. Some people just have to accept that their work isn't good enough to publish yet."

Aria was about to voice her resignation to his comment when the door to the conference room opened. She said a silent prayer, willing it to simply be a coworker asking if they needed anything as she lifted her head to look at the person walking in. Her heart stopped when her eyes were met with an image of the men she'd spent her last night of the year with, complete with the blonde hair and crooked nose.

"Mr. Walker," Ezra greeted, standing up to meet the man halfway. "I'm Ezra Fitz, editor-in-chief here at Rockstream." Aria watched as the two shook hands. "And this is one of our PR representatives, Ms. Aria Montgomery. She helped me look over your manuscript."

Austin moved past Ezra to get to Aria, sticking out his arm as he walked. Aria stood cautiously and extended her hand to him. She searched for any sign of recognition in his eyes, but had a hard time seeing anything past nerves and worry.

"Hello," Austin smiled, then lowered his voice. "Again."

Aria's breath caught in her throat. _Shit._ She wanted to beg him to keep his mouth shut, but Ezra was standing too close. Even at a whisper, he was in earshot. So she willed her eyes to convey what she could not say aloud. A look that Aria couldn't quite decode, but one she knew she didn't like, flashed across his features before he turned back to Ezra and said, "Sorry I'm so late. I live in Manhattan and like to underestimate the intensity of other cities' traffic."

Ezra shook his head, "No worries. Ms. Montgomery and I had no problem waiting," _Kiss ass._ "Let's get started."

The meeting started off without a hitch. Ezra hit the points that Aria had mentioned the night before, yet he had orchestrated a gentler, more professional way of saying them. Austin seemed to understand, nodding along to what Ezra said and muttering okay's and I see's every once in awhile. Aria sipped on her "water" as she listened and tried her best to avoid Austin's eyes, which never failed to land on her when Ezra was speaking. She hadn't remembered him being quite so creepy and itch inducing last weekend. She remembered the geek, the guy with the lame pick up lines and the bottomless wallet. A shiver went up her spine at these thoughts.

"I hope this all made sense to you, Mr. Walker," Ezra said, closing the notepad he'd been reading from. "I advise you to keep tweaking your craft. Your idea is good, just too under developed to work with at the moment. I'd be happy to look over a revised copy in the future."

"Before we end this meeting, I'd like to hear from Aria," Austin spoke, adjusting his chair so that he was facing her directly.

"Mr. Walker, every thought I have just shared with you was discussed between Ms. Montgomery and myself. There-"

"I'm sure she's got something new to say," Austin cut Ezra off, earning himself a look of disapproval from the editor-in-chief.

"I really don't," Aria replied curtly. "Mr. Fitz said what needed to be said."

Austin shifted his weight in the chair, causing it to squeak slightly. His tongue wet his lips and an almost crude laugh escaped from his throat. "I don't care about what needed to be said. How about what wanted to be said?"

"Mr. Walker, I think it's time for you to-"

"Did you tell your boss that we knew each other?" Once again, Austin interrupted Ezra. Only this time, instead of disapproval, he received a look of anger and surprise.

"Mr. Walker," Aria leaned forward, hoping that would make her appear more serious and firm. "This meeting is over." It took everything in her to keep her voice from wavering.

"Cut the 'Mr. Walker' shit," Austin scoffed. "That's not what you were calling me in bed the other night."

There it was. The truth came out. Just like it always did.

Aria looked at Ezra, her eyes a mile wide. He'd taken his gaze off of Austin and placed it on her. Aria felt certain that if she could read his mind, she'd see all of the ways he was going to fire her the minute the meeting ended. She'd never felt a stare so hot and cold at the same time.

"Ms. Montgomery, what is Mr. Walker talking about?" Ezra asked through gritted teeth.

"Nothing," Her instincts kicked in before she could stop them. The oldest, most noticeable lie in the book.

"C'mon, Aria. If that night was 'nothing' I would be interested in knowing what 'something' felt like to you," Austin sneered. He was having fun. His dreams had just been destroyed and now he was going to destroy her career.

"Ms. Montgomery," Ezra hissed. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"We slept together," Aria whispered. She could feel the shame from New Year's Day come back and consume her.

"What was that?" Austin teased. "We what together?"

"We slept together," Aria sighed, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "On New Years Eve. Austin was my one-night stand. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you earlier. I didn't know how."

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Austin biting his lip in anticipation. She didn't dare look for Ezra's reaction. She was sure that it was ugly. She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest and her body start to shake.

"You knew the minute I handed you the manuscript that Mr. Walker was the man you hooked up with in New York and you said nothing?" Ezra's voice sounded too calm for comfort. The calm before the storm. He wouldn't lose his head in front of a client. He would wait until they were alone in his office. That's where she would really get it handed to her.

"Yes sir," Aria whimpered. "I am so sorry. I thought-"

"That the truth wouldn't come out?" Austin incorrectly finished her sentence. "Well let me tell you what I thought. I thought that I had scored big. I had met a beautiful woman, she was willing to show me a good time on the last night of the year," He turned his attention to Ezra. "And let me tell you, that one is a good time. God, she gave the best head-"

"Mr. Walker!" Ezra snapped.

"I'm not done. She was amazing in bed. She's got endurance like I've never seen. Especially for a woman drunk off her ass. But not only did I get myself a woman who knew how to pleasure a man, but that woman also happened to be in publishing. And as an aspiring author that was like hitting the jackpot. I thought that she was my ticket to success," Austin's words were like knives to her chest. He'd used her. The minute she'd told him what she did for a living, he knew he was going to get her in bed and then find himself in a situation like this.

"You understand that employee-client relationships are prohibited," Ezra's voice was strained.

"So fire the whore," Austin casually suggested, as if he was suggesting a restaurant to have dinner at.

"He didn't know about us, so obviously that wasn't affecting his decision," Aria's voice broke as she tried to defend her boss.

"But he does now," Austin leaned forward. "And for the sake of this company's reputation, I strongly suggest that he reconsider."

"Or what?" Ezra challenged.

"I'll sue," Austin shrugged.

Ezra narrowed his eyes. Aria could see the wheels turning in his head. Like her, he was probably weighing the options. How much damage could Austin really do? If Aria's memory served her correctly, he was a PA at a pediatrician's office. He wasn't making at ton of money. But it was like Ezra said last night when they'd discussed a version of this very thing happening, a lawsuit was a lawsuit.

"You seem to remember your New Year's Eve with Ms. Montgomery very well," For the second time in 5 minutes, the calmness of Ezra's voice worried Aria.

"Your point?" Austin scoffed.

"Seeing how you both had a lot to drink, it seems odd that your memory wasn't impaired," Ezra cocked his head to the side. "Ms. Montgomery, how much do you remember from that night?"

Aria sat up straighter and shook her head slowly, "Not much. More than I did the morning after. It's coming back to me slowly. But as of now, not a whole lot."

"Do you remember sucking my dick?" Austin sounded sickly amused. "You really liked that."

"Mr. Walker," Ezra warned.

"No, Mr. Fitz, it's alright," Aria held up her hand to tell Ezra that she could handle a vile comment such as that one. "No, I don't. And although, I don't think that you're lying, I know that I must've been incredibly drunk to have done something so repulsive." Giving a blowjob was not an activity that Aria particularly enjoyed. She'd only ever given head to two guys, one of them being Liam, the other an old high school boyfriend. To her knowledge, she'd never done that under the influence. While a drunk Aria was suggestible and often ditsy, she was also honest. It seemed odd to think that she hadn't expressed her distaste for them to Austin when the opportunity presented itself.

"You were," Austin rolled his eyes. "You threw up after our second round."

"Second round?" Aria's question sounded helpless. The more he spoke, the more she found out about the night she wanted to forget about.

"How drunk were you, Mr. Walker?" Ezra stepped in again.

"I know how to handle my liquor, Fitz," Austin boasted. "It takes a lot to get me to a bad place."

"So you'd say that you were aware of your actions all night, while Ms. Montgomery was not?" Ezra asked. Aria squinted at her boss. He sounded like he was conducting an interrogation.

"I wasn't sloppy like she was," Austin combatted. "And yes, I was aware of everything, which is something I'd consider before officially declining my manuscript."

Ezra clasped his hands together on top of the table and lowered his voice, "Well, Mr. Walker, consider this. Having sex with anyone while they're under the influence is rape, which I'm sure you know, is punishable by law. So I'm going to make you an offer, but not the kind you're looking for. Walk out of this office peacefully and take your rejection like a big boy, instead of like a child who's never been told no, or I will call the police to escort you out, and while they're doing so, I'll fill them in on what happened on New Years Eve. I'm sure that they won't mind taking you straight to jail, you sick fuck."

Aria's mouth fell slightly agape at Ezra's words. She felt an uncomfortable mixture of shame and thankfulness for Ezra's involvement. She knew that she wasn't in the clear, but it felt nice that he was sticking up for her.

"The kind of case you'd try to build on that would never hold up in court and you know it. They'll blame her for getting too drunk and it'll be over. And when that happens, I'll add harassment to the lawsuit," Austin shrugged, seemingly unphased by the accusation of being a rapist.

Ezra's knuckles turned white, and for a brief moment, before he began speaking again, Aria thought he was going to punch Austin. "Rockstream Press is part of a multi-billion-dollar corporation," _False._ "I don't think that your claims against this branch would put more than an ant sized dent in our funds," _No, if we lost the company would go under._ "That's being kind and assuming you win. If you don't, which you won't, we'll drain you of the $300 in your bank account and then some. So, Mr. Walker, I think that it is in your best interest to take your ego and leave without a peep more. Wouldn't you agree?" Ezra raised an eyebrow.

The tension in the room nearly suffocated Aria. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two men, anxiety rising in the pit of her stomach. She had put Ezra in an awful position. If it wasn't for her, Austin wouldn't have done more than pout and stomp his feet on his way out of the door. Austin wouldn't have started in with all of the nasty comments and threats and Ezra wouldn't have had to counteract them all. He wouldn't have had to lie to a client's face and he wouldn't have to hide the embarrassment he in no doubt felt from having one of his 'most promising' employees fuck up to this extent. All Aria wanted to do at that moment was run out of the room and all the way to her apartment. She wanted to climb beneath the sheets on her bed and hide until the world around her settled itself down. She wanted to forget everything that had happened within the past 7 days.

All of the sudden, Austin stood up from his chair and marched out, pulling Aria from her pent up pity party. A few silent beats passed before Ezra cleared his throat, "Aria. My office. Now."

She felt like a little kid being marched to the principal's office by her teacher, and suddenly, Aria wished that was the case. As a child, the biggest punishment had been a phone call home and maybe no recess for a week. As an adult, this would mean losing her job, losing her source of income, losing the ability to pay her rent. Thought this job had come easy to her- was it nepotism if she got the job because she was _dating_ a current employee?- finding another one like it would be next to impossible. She supposed she'd call Spencer and ask her to set her up with that friend of hers in D.C. that worked for a publisher, but that meant upheaving herself from a city that she'd grown to love and diving into a city of politics and bills. That lifestyle may have suited Spencer, but the thought of living in it herself made Aria cringe.

When Ezra shut the door to his office, Aria's heart dropped to her stomach. _Here it comes._

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked gently, causing Aria to be taken aback.

She blinked a few times to make sure his reaction was real. "Uh, yeah. My pride is a little bruised, but I'll survive." She watched him nod thoughtfully before continuing. "Listen, Ezra, I really am so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I wasn't sure how to do it. I thought that you'd fire me if you found out."

Ezra let out a short, breathy laugh, "That option isn't off the table, Aria." She closed her eyes in acceptance of his statement. "You not telling me was incredibly stupid. You realize that that whole thing could've been avoided had you come clean to me yesterday? I wouldn't have fired you then, but now?" He paused to gather his thoughts. "Now, I'm not sure how to handle you."

"I'm sorry," Aria said, unsure whether she was apologizing for making his decision difficult or for fucking things up so badly.

"Yeah," Ezra sighed. "Go home. Please. I need time to think and it won't help if I know that you're sitting on the other side of this wall. I'll call you when I've made up my mind."

"That sounds fair." And it was. He wasn't lashing out at her, but he wasn't letting her mistake slide. Although time gave her room to worry, it was better than definitely being out of a job. At least this way there was some hope.

She turned to leave, but was stopped when she felt his hand around her forearm. The touch shocked her, but she didn't shy away from his grip. She parted her lips to ask what he wanted at the same time that he opened his mouth to talk, resulting in two, awkward and cut off noises emitting from their throats. "Sorry, go ahead," Aria pressed, taking her arm back as he loosened his hold.

"Sorry, um," A look of uncertainty flashed in his eyes. "You should call the police. What Mr. Walker did that night wasn't right."

Aria shook her head, "No. I'm not going to drag anyone else into this mess. Austin will just deny it, anyways. We were both drunk. It was stupid. I'm alright. Really."

"Aria," Ezra sounded hesitant to let her answer suffice.

"Seriously, Ezra," Aria tried to sound as convincing as possible. "I'm okay. Thanks for your concern though."

Not wanting to hear anymore about Austin, Aria left Ezra standing in his office with that. It was a peculiar thing that the prospect of being fired in a matter of hours didn't have Aria on the verge of tears. Instead, she felt a sense of peace that felt strongly out of place. It was almost as the amount of empathy that Ezra had just shown her and the way he'd defended her in front of Austin was more important than keeping her job.

It was funny, maybe even ironic, that the two had talked about seeing one another as humans just last night, but Aria hadn't really felt _human_ in a long time. She'd accused Ezra of being a robot, yet she sat behind her desk every day and willed herself not to feel anything for her ex who sat 3 chairs over. She mechanically drove to work, to the supermarket, and back home, listening to the same songs and convincing herself that hiding this mask of normalcy was working. She cried at home and behind bathroom doors when something went wrong so that no one would see her mascara run in public and so that no one would think she was weak…that she was human. Since her break up with Liam, Aria had only felt shame and sorrow and pity, but had tried her best not to let any external emotions alter the ones that were scarring her insides. She drank to suppress the feeling of emptiness and to not remember the very real, very true feelings she'd spill under the influence. Any form of flattery from a male had become a result of their incessant horniness. Any compliment from a female was fake. Living as a ball of anxiety, self-hatred, sex, and sadness with no form of validation from anyone wasn't human. It was destructive. But for some reason, some reason that she'd always be thankful for, Ezra's choice to not blow up on her, but instead be gentle and kind to her when she deserved to be chewed out resonated with her. Suddenly, she felt a little human again, though her situation still currently sucked.

Aria found herself fighting the smallest of smiles as she clocked out at her desk and gathered her things to go home. She may not have a job in 24 hours, but instead of repressing, at least she'd be able to handle it like a normal human would.

 **A/N Part 2: Thanks for reading! As always, please review! I'd love to know what you guys thought of this chapter. What did you think of Austin? How about the Ezria in the chapter? And for those of you wondering, the get together is in the near future, but like I've said, I have to build their chemistry first. Where do you think they stand now? What do you think Ezra's decision regarding Aria's job will be? Let me know!**

 **Also, check out my Ezria one shot "Colors" if you haven't already!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

On Sunday morning, Aria found herself sitting alone in the coffee shop across from her apartment building. She had her caramel macchiato and her laptop and was attempting to busy herself with the mundane task of checking her emails and her twitter feed. Not much had come through her inbox or appeared on her newsfeed, but she found herself refreshing the tabs anyway, briefly hoping that something new might pop up as it loaded. Her phone sat on the table, lighting up occasionally with a text from one of her friends, though it never showed the name that she wanted to see.

She was yet to find out if she still had a job or not. Ezra hadn't called, hadn't texted, hadn't emailed. Nothing. The work week started back up again in less than 24 hours, and Aria was clueless about whether or not she was going to be working at all. She was over having small heart attacks each time her phone rang. She was over being anxious. Now, she was just plain annoyed. How long did it take for one man to make up his mind? It was incredibly inconsiderate of him to keep her waiting all weekend.

Her Friday night had consisted of her making a list of publishing houses that were hiring. She'd ranked them in order of reputation and location. If she was going to be momentarily unemployed, she couldn't afford an apartment in an upscale area. Not that she was living in an upscale area now. She currently lived amongst other young working people, all trying to save enough money to one day, settle into a more comfortable loose-budgeted lifestyle. Spencer's offer in D.C. was last on her list. Her home was in Boston. Uprooting herself to live in an unfamiliar city where she currently only had one friend was not something she was keen on. However, the D.C. job had still made her list, whereas other, closer options had not.

Her Saturday was spent distracting herself by doing laundry and other menial tasks around the house. She'd actually scrubbed her bathtub for once and cleaned out her fridge. Though, nothing was done without her phone being close by. In the evening, she'd marched herself to her neighbor, Claire Winston's, front door and begged her to grab dinner with her. The two wound up grabbing more than dinner. Spending most of their night in a bar in downtown Boston, they'd snagged several free drinks from attractive men and a few phone numbers that they promptly deleted the next morning. The girls took an Uber back to their building and tipped a little more than they should've in their tipsy states. Having nursed many a hangover before, Aria forced herself to drink 2 full glasses of water before going to bed to minimize the pain she'd feel when she woke up. Sitting in the coffee shop, Aria only had a slight sensitivity to the lights and sounds. She felt a twinge of pride in her chest for being proactive, though the pride didn't come without the knowledge of irony. She was _proud_ about being _responsible_ enough to prevent having _too_ serious of a hangover. _Welcome to your 20's,_ Aria thought sarcastically.

Aria brought her drink to her lips and took as swig as she refreshed her email for the umpteenth time. A coupon for 20% her next bra and underwear set from Victoria's Secret came through, but that was it. She smirked ruefully. She didn't need to buy any fancy lingerie at the moment. She had no one to show it off to. The Gap would be her supplier until she needed a reason for something sexier.

A long sigh escaped from her chest. Aria closed her eyes and leaned her head back, cringing at the sound of the little bells above the door ringing as someone entered.

"Hi, welcome," The barista who'd served Aria her coffee chirped. _God, she was way too happy for 10 am on a Sunday._

"Hello. I'll take a dry cappuccino, please," A recognizable voice responded. Aria snapped her head up, feeling a slight sense of vertigo at the action.

"Perfect," Aria groaned upon laying eyes on Ezra Fitz. He looked different than he normally did. Instead of donning his usual slacks and button down shirt, he sported faded jeans and a maroon pull over. Despite her frustration with the man and the fact that he was her boss, Aria couldn't stop herself from acknowledging how good he looked in casual wear and how great his ass looked in his jeans that were a little too tight.

She watched him pay and braced for recognition. She would be directly in his line of sight when he turned to step aside to wait for his coffee. Suddenly, she regretted not putting on makeup or dressing in something a little more presentable. When his eyes met hers, she self consciously pulled her Colombia jacket around her body, hoping to hide her ratty t-shirt that she got her freshman year at NYU.

Ezra's expression changed from confused to shocked to hesitant to resigned in a matter of a second. He stuck his hands in his jean pockets and stepped closer to her table, "Fancy meeting you here." Aria heard the awkward strain in his voice. Apparently this wasn't an ideal situation for him either.

"Do you have an answer for me?" Aria asked bluntly. At this point, she was too annoyed to exchange pleasantries with her boss. She was also too embarrassed by her appearance to engaged him in small talk for too long.

"Hello, Ezra. How are you this morning?" Ezra let out a breathy, sarcastic laugh as he rolled his eyes and rocked back on his heels.

"Hello, Ezra. How are you this morning? Do you have an answer for me?" Aria raised her eyebrows at him, hoping he would get the message that she was growing impatient.

He narrowed his eyes, though not indignantly, "I'm doing well, thanks. May I?" Ezra motioned to the seat across from her, looking at her for approval. Aria nodded slowly and closed her laptop as she watched him take a seat. He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and gnawed on it for second as he thought about his word choice. After a moment, he sighed, "I honestly haven't decided."

Aria a jolt of frustration run through her body. "What do you mean you haven't decided? It's been two days!"

"A day and a half," Ezra corrected, letting his head loll to the side.

"Ezra," Aria hissed. "I need to know if I have a job come tomorrow morning or not." She was now sitting on the edge of her chair, her fists balled at her side. He was treating the situation like a toy he wanted at the store. On one hand he wanted it, on the other he wasn't sure if he should blow his allowance on it.

"I just," He leaned forward, rubbing his eyes with his hand. "There's a lot of things I have to consider."

"Like what?" Aria cocked her head to the side. She had a feeling that that was just an excuse. He was stalling for God knows what reason.

"There's just a lot of things to consider. It's hard to name specifics," Ezra shrugged.

"I'm sure you can do it. What are they?" Aria pushed.

"Things," Ezra said dismissively.

"What are you, 10?" He was acting like a child. "Things is not an answer. It's an excuse. What is keeping you from making a decision?"

"Look, Aria," Ezra started. His brow was furrowed as if he were concentrating on his thoughts. "You're a great worker, but you put our company at risk. I know it was a mistake. I get that. But it could've, and it still could, have us facing harsh repercussions."

"Sounds like you are leaning one way," Aria crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"I'm not leaning either way. That's the problem," Ezra admitted. "I-"

"Dry cappuccino for Ezra," The happy-go-lucky barista called out, placing a cup on the counter.

Ezra held up his hand, signaling Aria to wait, as he got up to grab his order. She heard him mutter a thank you before returning to his seat. "I think you're an amazing asset to the company. Losing you would hurt, but so could keeping you."

"I mean, I could give you my two cents, but they might be biased," Aria cracked a half smile.

"Well, see, that's my problem. I think I've developed a biased towards you," Ezra rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke. "That damn conversation we had in my office made me see you in a different light." Aria felt a flutter in her stomach. "Professionally, that is." The flutter was gone.

"I wanted you to," Aria said, pretending that she hadn't just felt a sensation that was all too familiar to her. Attraction. "Not…not for this reason. I just wanted you to know that I wasn't some faceless person that helped the company make money. No one there is."

"But you're the only one who's made the effort to show me that. That's why I think I may be biased," He took a sip of his drink and licked the remnants of the liquid from his lips.

"I'm sorry?" She wasn't sure how to respond.

"No, no, this is my problem," Ezra waved his hand at her.

"Technically it's my problem too. My job is on the line," Aria laughed sheepishly.

Ezra smiled, but remained silent a moment. His eyes drifted off towards the windows, quickly fixating on something outside. Aria tried to follow his gaze, but was at a loss when all she saw were some teenagers crossing the street and trash blowing around on the sidewalks. She shifted her eyes back to her boss and gave him a once over. He looked relaxed, like he could stay sitting there all day and be perfectly content. Aria wondered how long he planned on staying at the shop and if he was going to stay seated across from her for the remainder of his time. It should've felt awkward, yet Aria felt inclined to welcome it instead of shy away. She brushed it off as a result of their new found friendship instead of as a crush on him because he was the first man to show her genuine kindness in over a year.

"How long have you been coming here?" Ezra inquired, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Uh, since I moved into the building across the street. So since after Liam and I broke up. We used to live closer to downtown, well I guess he still does. I don't," Aria explained.

"Lucky you. I just found out about it about a month ago. I have a buddy who kept raving about their cappuccinos, so I decided to come try one. I live closer to downtown to. Coffee is about the only thing that brings me this way," He laughed.

"Yeah, the stuff here is amazing," Aria nodded. "I don't blame you for going out of your way for it."

"Dare I say that it's better than Starbucks," Ezra whispered as if what he'd said would cause a national outcry if anyone else heard him.

Aria giggled, "I agree."

The two settled back into a few moments silence. Once again, Aria found herself searching for an awkwardness that didn't exist. She felt comfortable sitting with him, even though she was still slightly on edge about no receiving an answer yet.

"Do you go home often?" For the second time, Ezra's voice broke the silence.

"Back to Rosewood? No," She shook her head vigorously. "I try to avoid it as much as possible. Too many bad memories."

"Was Alison really that bad?" Ezra's eyes were wide.

"It's not all attributed to Alison," Aria defended. "There's just some

things that happened over the years that make it painful to go back."

"Like what?" Ezra leaned forward.

"Things," Aria smirked, teasing him with his excuse from earlier.

"C'mon, Aria," Ezra rolled his eyes.

She grinned, "See? That excuse is frustrating. Besides, I thought that this type of conversation made you too biased."

"You're right," Ezra put his hands up in surrender. "I should go before I get in too deep." He stood to leave and Aria felt a pang of sadness. She hadn't meant to end their chat.

He kept his eyes on her as he fished his keys from his pocket and picked up his coffee cup. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Aria."

"Wait," Aria closed her eyes in disbelief. "I still have a job?"

Ezra didn't nod, not did he shake his head. He simply gave her a warm smile, turned on his heels, and walked away, leaving Aria alone and very confused.

 **A/N: Okay, yikes. I had some serious writer's block with this chapter. I thought I had it all planned out in my head, but when I sat down to write it I wasn't able to articulate those ideas on paper. This chapter was going to be a filler/transition chapter anyway, but I still feel like it was bland. Sorry if you felt that way too. I tried to give you some Ezria. Now Aria is starting to develop a crush on her boss, but how does he feel? The next chapter should be much more exciting and juicy! As always, please review! Y'all's reviews motivate me so much! Thanks for reading** **:)**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: Italicized part is slightly NSFW!**

 _"What if somebody walks in on us?" There was hint of protest in Ezra's question._

 _Aria turned from her place in the middle of the women's bathroom and gave her boss a once over. The confident man who had been vocalizing his desire for her back in his office now stood with his hands in his pockets and a nervous glint in his eye. He reminded Aria of a high school boy who could talk up a storm, but in reality had never been with a girl. But Aria knew that his reserves weren't coming from inexperience, they were coming from fear. If all went as planned, they were going to be having sex at the office. The two had ducked into the bathroom to avoid being caught by the security cameras in his office and around the cubicles, but that didn't eliminate the possibility of them being found out. Aria knew this, but pretended she didn't. "No one is here," She shook her head as she began walking back towards Ezra, who was still stationed by the door._

 _"The janitors are," Ezra croaked, his eyes flickering to her waist as she over exaggerated their movement with each step. His baby blues had darkened to a navy with lust back in his office when he told her how badly he wanted her, but now Aria could've sworn they were on the verge of turning black. When Aria reached him, his Adam's apple bobbed in anticipation. This was her favorite part. She loved seeing a man so vulnerable. She loved seeing them physically restraining themselves from ripping her clothes off, wanting to make the moment last and end all at the same time. The strain in their voices that was comparable to the strain in their slacks was like music to her ears. Seeing a man overcome with want and desire for her made her feel like a queen, like she could do anything._

 _"They left about half an hour ago," Aria circled her hands around Ezra's neck and closed the gap between their bodies. "Now, why don't you show me exactly what you were talking about in your office."_

 _Ezra snaked his hands around her waist, letting them drop down to squeeze her ass as he did so. A smirk appeared on his lips, as if he were proud that he'd touched her so intimately at work._

 _"Naughty boy," Aria leaned in let her lips graze the skin of his neck. He moaned at her touch. "Tell me, how long has it been for you?" She lifted her head up so that she could look into his eyes when he answered._

 _"A little over a year," Ezra confessed, his cheeks turning pink._

 _Aria smiled sweetly. She brought a hand up and ran her fingers through his dark curls. "Wow," She mused. "You must've gotten very well acquainted with your right hand." Her voice was an innocent as a school girl's, something she knew would turn Ezra on. There was something about innocence and purity, even if it was fake, that drove men wild._

 _Ezra laughed and tightened his grip on her. His gaze fell to her lips and held there for a long moment. It took everything in Aria not to leaned forward and close the space between their mouths. She wanted Ezra to initiate it. She wanted him to be the dominant one._

 _A familiar aching became apparent between her legs. She could feel her arousal begin to saturate her panties and drip down her legs. God, she wanted him. Just as she was about to cave, he spoke. "You're wrong, baby."_

 _"Huh?" Aria whimpered._

 _"I'm left handed," With that, Ezra's lips crashed into hers with such a force that it sent her stumbling backward towards the wall._

 _Ezra followed her fall, pushing her body up against the wall in an attempt to keep her upright. The vibrations of the wall from the impact turned Aria on even more. She liked it rough and it was becoming clear that he did too._

 _Their hands ran up and down each other's bodies, trying to memorize every curve and dip, as their tongues tasted the insides of the other's mouth. Ezra pushed his hips into Aria's, allowing her to feel his growing erection on her thigh. She moaned softly into his mouth and bucked her hips against him._

 _Her fingers found their way to the buttons on Ezra's shirt and began ripping them open, desperate to feel his hot skin underneath. As she worked, Ezra brought one hand up to massage her breast, entangling the other one in her hair. Like Ezra's manhood, her nipples were erect and she could feel him perfectly through her bra, and by the way Ezra smiled against her lips, she knew he could feel them too._

 _Shortly after ridding Ezra of his shirt, Aria found herself shirtless as well. Ezra's eyes were glued to her chest, taking in her lacy black bra that contrasted flawlessly with her silky white skin. She felt heat rise in her cheeks, hoping Ezra didn't find any fault in her breasts. She hoped that he would find her just as beautiful naked as he said he did when she was fully clothed. Aria held her breath as Ezra unhooked her bra and watched it fall to the floor._

 _"Huh," Ezra grinned like a little boy who had never seen boobs before. "You're so goddamn perfect. I'm the luckiest man in the world."_

 _Butterflies filled Aria's stomach. She couldn't help but smile as she watched the man lower his head and take one of her nipples into his mouth. Flattery was a common tactic used by men to get into a girl's pants. And it had worked on Aria more times than she really wanted to admit. However, there was something so genuine about Ezra's words that made her feel comfortable sharing her body with him. She knew that she wouldn't be some girl that he would throw away tomorrow. She would be one that he'd want to keep around for as along as possible. Perhaps, he'd keep her around long enough to fall in love with her. Lord knows she'd already fallen in love with him._

 _As he sucked on the sensitive bud, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the sink. Her placed on on top of the counter and began massaging her inner thighs, letting his hands roam dangerously close to her sex. "Oh fuck, Ezra." Aria brought her head forward, burying her face in his hair._

 _After giving sufficient attention to her chest, he brought his lips back up to hers. She raked her nails down his back as he began to rub her through her soaked panties. "You're so fucking wet," He acknowledged between kisses._

 _"I want you," Aria whispered. "Take me, please baby."_

 _"Aria," Ezra moaned. "Aria. Aria. Aria?"_

"Aria?" Ezra's voice sounded suddenly much closer as she felt herself being shook awake.

She lifted her head from it's place on her forearms, squinting at the harsh light of the office. It took her a few seconds to become aware of her situation. _Holy shit._ Not only did she fall asleep and have a wet dream about her boss, but she had fallen asleep and had a wet dream about her boss at work. Her mind began racing. What if she had said something in her sleep? It wasn't unlike her to provide commentary to the conscious world as she slept during her more intense dreams. If she had said something, had it been Ezra's name? Had she moaned in her slumber?

"Are you alright?" Ezra derailed her crazy train of thought. "You've slept almost all the way through lunch and you were uh…groaning. Is everything okay?" He stared at her with the same baby blues that had been consumed with lust in her dream.

"Uh, yeah," Aria shrugged. "Just a bad dream, I guess. I really don't remember." She forced the lie off of her tongue. "I've been a bit sleep deprived this week." The last part was the truth.

Aria had neglected her duties in the PR department for only two days last week. She thought that the other representatives would've taken care of her share of the work, or at least done what they could. Instead, it seemed like they collectively decided to not do any work, and passed all of it on to Aria on Monday morning. So not only was Aria doing what needed to be done for this week, but she was doing what should've been done by 3 women in two days by herself on top of that. She'd put in overtime for the past four days and had pulled a couple of all nighters going through files and composing emails to clients. The stack of manila folders that sat on her keyboard told her that she would be doing the same tonight.

"I've noticed you've been staying late at the office," Ezra stated awkwardly, in what Aria saw as an attempt to keep the conversation going.

"Yeah, that manuscript you gave me kind of fucked me over in terms of my actual job," Aria immediately regretted using the words "fuck" and "me" in the same sentence when addressing Ezra. Not because he was her boss-no, she didn't care what profanities slipped out of her mouth around him because he wasn't one to care-but because she'd just had a dream about him fucking her, and honestly it hadn't been her first.

The whole week had been a weird one for Aria. On Monday morning, she awoke at 3 am with Ezra's name echoing in her dark bedroom and her hand between her legs. She took a cold shower to clear her head, deciding that her dream had been the result of stress and imbalanced hormones. During their usual Monday morning staff meeting, Ezra seemed to be talking directly to her. Whenever she would finish speaking and someone else would begin, Ezra's eyes would linger on her for a little too long. On Tuesday, Aria was making herself coffee in the break room while simultaneously trying to forget that she'd had yet _another_ dream about Ezra, though that one hadn't been quite so sexual. It had involved the two of them on a date and him asking her to marry him. Dream Aria had been ecstatic. Real life Aria had been confused. As Aria poured creamer into her cup, she felt a hand graze her lower back. She instantly thought it had been Liam. It wasn't unlike him to pull stunts like that despite their break up. But when she'd turned to face the culprit, she stood face to face with Ezra. He smiled, but didn't acknowledge the physical interaction. It had been pouring rain on Wednesday, the day that Aria was supposed to meet with an online journalist to discuss one of Rockstream's upcoming releases. Just as she had been walking out the door, Ezra caught her elbow and had harshly asked where she thought she was going. When Aria explained that she'd scheduled a meeting in the next town over, Ezra demanded her to cancel it or have the journalist come to her. Aria questioned him, but the only answer he gave her was a more adult version of "because I said so". During the office's lunch break, Liam turned on the news in the break room. Every story that was run was one about a car accident, some fatal, some not. Areas of the town Aria should've been in were flooded, trapping residents in their cars and carrying them down streets and over guard rails. The whole time they'd watched, Ezra's eyes were trained on Aria. On Thursday, Ezra didn't show up to work until after lunch. Multiple employees tried to call him, but they all claimed that they got his voicemail. When Aria tried his cell around 11, he picked up on the last ring. He explained that he had visited Katelyn's grave earlier that morning, but had gotten stuck in horrible traffic on the way back into town. Apparently, the damage done by Wednesday's storm was more extensive than he thought. Before hanging up, he asked that she not disclose his whereabouts to anyone because they didn't know about his loss and he wanted to keep it that way. Aria agreed not to tell and lied to anyone who asked what he had said. "He felt sick this morning," She would say. No one questioned her.

Aria was fully aware that she had an overactive imagination. She often interpreted an ambiguous situation to mean one thing when it meant another. If someone didn't text her back, something bad had happened to them, when in fact they'd just gotten busy and didn't see the message right away. If a guy was single and talking to her, he was hitting on her, though he might have been just making conversation. If she was a day late, she was pregnant, when in reality she was just a day late and she'd start tomorrow. Aria knew that her ability to incorrectly fill in the blanks did only harm and no good, but she couldn't stop herself from jumping to conclusions. And after everything that had happened that week, Aria came to the conclusion that not only did she have a crush on Ezra, but he had one on her too. Why else would he constantly stare at her or allow himself to cop the slightest touch as he walked by? Why would he be so concerned about her driving in the rain or answer his phone when he saw her name on the screen, despite everyone else in the office trying to get ahold of him? Aria knew getting too caught up in what was problem a trick of her mind would only lead to disappointment, but she couldn't help but wonder if maybe this time she was right.

"I'm sorry," Ezra laughed. "How much more do you have to do before you're all caught up?"

Aria counted the folders on her desk with her eyes, then sighed, "I've got 8 more folders to go through. Each one requires about an hour of my attention. I'll probably be staying late again tonight."

Ezra stuck his hands in his pockets. _Just like my dream,_ Aria thought. He nodded his head slowly, his tongue bulging from his cheek as he pondered a thought. "Would it help if I stayed after and went through them with you?" He asked after a moment.

Aria was taken aback, but grateful nonetheless. "Yeah, do you really want to? It's Friday. I'm sure you want to go home," She smirked before saying the next part. "Cook a romantic dinner for your fish."

Ezra rolled his eyes, "She can survive one Friday night without my amazing cooking. Besides, I caused you to get behind by asking you to review that manuscript. I, as you said, fucked you over. It's the least I could do."

Aria giggled and smiled at him appreciatively, "That would be great. Thank you."

"Of course," Ezra shrugged. "My office at 5, then."

"It's a…" Aria stopped herself from instinctually saying _date_. "Plan." She settled on the word.

"It's a plan," Ezra repeated, a strange look flashing across his features as he did so. He knew as well as she did that the word _date_ fit that sentence better. But given their circumstances, _plan_ was more appropriate. Although more appropriate didn't necessarily mean more preferred.

 **A/N: I'm so sorry it took me a little over a week to update! I really don't have an excuse other than pure laziness. I hope that I made up for it with that little scene at the beginning, even though it wasn't real. This chapter was so much fun to write, so I hope that you guys enjoyed it! I'll try to update much, much sooner this time around. As always, let me know what you guys thought by reviewing! What did you guys think about Aria's dream? Do you guys think Ezra returns Aria's feelings or is just being friendly? Also, what do you think will happen during their 5 o'clock "plan"? Thanks so much for reading y'all!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

The sun had disappeared along with the last of the employees about two hours ago. Four cups that had once contained coffee sat on top of Ezra's desk, revealing their desperate attempts to stay awake. Going through the folders together had sped up the process, but proved to make the task no less tedious or boring.

They were on the last two folders when Aria snapped, "Ugh, I can't take this anymore. I'm done. I quit!"

Ezra, who had been sitting across from her reading from his own folder, looked up at her quizzically, "Uh…"

"Not this job," She clarified hastily. "I quit reading for today. I swear if I have to read another word on these pages I'm going to combust."

Ezra laughed, clearly amused by her childish behavior, "Okay, then we'll stop. Pick up where we left off on Monday, no big deal."

"No, it is a big deal. I'll have even more shit to do on Monday," She sighed, hanging her head in defeat.

"Then we'll stay after on Monday and finish up. At least then you'll have had the weekend to rest and be a little more sane," He flashed her a boyish grin.

"Are you saying I'm crazy now?" Aria raised her eyebrows in faux-shock.

"Of course not," Ezra rubbed the back of his neck. "But you see my proposition?"

"Yes and deal," Aria laughed. "Let's go home."

The two gathered their things and buttoned up their coats before walking to their cars in Boston's 31-degere weather.

The lot had been deserted, save a couple of cars that Aria assumed belonged to people on the janitorial staff and, of course, their own.

The pair muttered goodbye to each other, both too preoccupied by the cold that was making their bodies feel stiff to say more than one word, and got into their cars. Aria heard Ezra's sleek BMW roar to life and she attempted to stick her keys in the right spot and missed due to her shaking hands. When she finally got it right, her car did no more the sputter as she tried to start it.

"You've got to be kidding me," Aria whimpered, trying her car once more. A little sputter, then nothing. Her battery had fucking died.

"Ugh!" She screamed, banging her palms against the steering wheel. "Of course. Of course this would happen to me. Of fucking course." She reached over the middle console to grab her purse. Her phone, along with the number for Triple A were buried in there somewhere.

As she searched, she heard a knock on her window. Her head shot up, fear instantly coursing through her veins, the being quelled by the sight of Ezra shivering on the other side.

"Battery dead?" His voice was muffled by the glass of her window.

She nodded before opening the door, "Yeah. This piece of junk decided to crap out on me today of all days. You don't happen to have any jumper cables do you?"

He shook his head, "No. Do you need the number for Triple A?"

It was her turn to say no. "I should have it in my purse," She said through chattering teeth.

"Here, come get in my car while you call. I've got the heat on," He held out his hand to help her out. She took it, smiling appreciatively.

Once in his car, she pulled the number from her purse and dialed it. Ezra occupied himself by drumming on his steering wheel and scrolling through his phone as she talked.

"Hi, this is Aria Montgomery. I'm calling because my car battery died and I need…" Her voice trailed off as the woman on the other end stared in on her about not having service men available at the moment. "Are you serious? But..." The woman cut her off once again, this time telling her that she'd have to wait until tomorrow and that was the best she could do. "What am I supposed to do until..." Cut off again with meaningless apologies. "Okay, fine. The address is 3758 Pembroke Circle. I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow." She spat before hanging up.

"Tomorrow?" Ezra raised an eyebrow.

"It's not a total emergency," Aria mocked the woman's tone. "So yeah, tomorrow. Would it be too much of me to ask you to take me home? I'd rather not sleep in my car."

"I'll do you one better," Ezra suggested. "I'll take you to get something to eat, then I'll take you home. It's almost 8, you must be starving."

"I am, but you don't have to," Aria declined. "I'm sure I can find something to eat at home."

"No, it's fine. I'll take you to this little hole in the wall place I know of near the ports. It's about 30 minutes out, but it's amazing," Ezra's eyes lit up like he was talking about a person that he loved.

Aria hesitated a moment, the sighed, "Okay, but my curfew is midnight." She teased.

"You have a curfew? That's lame," Ezra changed his voice to sound like one of some stoner jock who thought he was the shit, basically the guys that Aria tried to avoid in high school.

"Shut up and drive," Aria waved her hand dismissively.

"Right," Ezra laughed. "Gotta get you there if I've gotta have you home by midnight."

Line break

Aria had been living in Boston for awhile now, but had never been to this part of town. It seemed that the whole block was one big hole in the wall. Eclectic groups of shops and restaurants lined both sides of the streets, the kinds that Liam had liked to avoid. He'd been positive that one could contract HIV from eating sushi in a place next to a downgraded version of a pawn shop and hookah bar, but saw nothing wrong with hanging around sleazy strip clubs and having a beer while he gazed at the silicone breasts and butts during his single days. Apparently the clubs were okay since they had a higher end address than this place.

She gazed out of the passenger side window at all of the foreign sights, her mouth slightly agape.

"Don't knock it till you try it," Ezra said, obviously mistaking her awe for uncertainty. "The Chinese food here is to die for."

Aria shook her head, smiling a little, "I'm not knocking it. I'm excited by it. I love places like this, a little disjointed and messy. It's more real than most of regal Boston."

Ezra laughed as he put the car in park, "Good. Maybe I'll bring you back here sometime when it's light out and we can shop around? I don't know many people who actually like coming here."

"Yeah, I'd like that," Aria couldn't help the smile from spreading across her face. This could be the closest she ever got to a real date with Ezra, and it sounded like he genuinely wanted to spend time with her, which made it even better.

The two got out of his car and made their way across the street, hands tucked into their jacket pockets and clouds forming from their lips as they breathed. The air smelled of a mix of spices and cigarette smoke. Old men leaned against vacant wall space with their pipes between their teeth and their eyes dancing across the figures of women who passed alone. A couple of younger men cat called to the women that the older men scouted, clearly a little drunk and full of themselves. Streetlights buzzed overhead, threatening to go out at any moment and leave the string lights and paper lanterns hung from the doorways of stores as the only source of light. Alley ways between buildings were full of trash bags and home to a few street bums. The whole area felt dirty, but it made Aria feel alive.

She was so tired of cleanliness, of having to pretend that her life matched this nearly utopian city around her. She was so sick of yoga classes with catty moms who left their babies with their nannies only to brag about how much they loved the kids they never actually took care of. She was bored of men in suits who boasted about their 4.0 GPA's in college to women they wanted to sleep with as if that meant anything in the real world. Growing up, Aria had lived in the fakest town in all of America. Moving to Boston had been a breath of fresh air, though in reality, Boston was just as fake and petty, it was just better at pretending that it wasn't. And in some ways, Aria had morphed herself into a human version of the city. Everyone had. Being exposed to the dirtier, raunchier, riskier side of Boston was almost like a weight off Aria's shoulders. It showed her that some things could still function, even if they weren't everyone's ideas of perfect.

Aria fixed her eyes on Ezra, who stared straight ahead not needing to take this area in having been here many times before. As if feelings were something tangible and visible, Aria could both feel and see herself falling for the man. There was so much more to him than who he presented himself to be at the office. The more he showed her, the harder she fell.

They came up on a restaurant with a golden dragon hanging from the doorway like mistletoe. A little bell jingled as Ezra pulled the door open, gesturing for her to enter before him. She ducked inside and was met with instant warmth and the overwhelming smell of soy sauce. There was a partition hiding the rest of the restaurant from view and a small Asian woman standing at a podium fiddling with menus.

"Table for two, please," Ezra cleared his throat to get the woman's attention.

She jerked her head up, flashed a wide, crooked grin, and said, "Please follow me," in a thick Chinese accent.

The woman led them behind the partition and to a table in the back of the restaurant, despite nearly every other table in the joint being available. From the looks of it there were about 15 tables, only 2 of which were occupied. The light was dim and soft, instrumental music played from the speakers on the ceiling. The place was clearly over staffed. Four waiters stood in the corner on their phones, while two men tended to the only other customers. Being 9 o'clock at night, it made sense that the place wouldn't be very busy, most people had already eaten their dinners, but something told Aria that it had been this way all evening.

As Aria and Ezra took off their coats, their waitress appeared to take their drink orders. Aria got an iced tea. Ezra simply got water.

'She wrote that down on one ticket," Aria said in a low voice as the girl walked away. "I'll tell her to split it up when she comes back."

"You don't have to. I'll pay," Ezra shrugged, flipping his menu open and inspecting the pages.

"I'm not going to let you pay for my dinner, Ezra. You already had to drive me all the way out here to get dinner and you have to drive me home," Aria protested.

"Your car battery died, Aria. I wasn't going to let you sit in the parking lot, stranded and hungry. Besides, it was my idea to drive out here. I'm paying," He said firmly, his eyes never leaving the menu.

Aria chewed on her lip. This wasn't a date, as much as she would like it to be. He had no business paying for her meal. She was a big girl with money.

"Here you go," The waitress returned with their drinks.

"Thank you," Aria smiled. "Um, can you take our orders on two spate checks please?" The minute her words left her tongue, Ezra's head snapped up.

"That won't be necessary, ma'am. One check will do," He said through gritted teeth.

Aria shot him a look that could kill, but was met with one equally as lethal. He was as adamant about paying for her as she was for not letting him.

The waitress nodded slowly, then walked away before anything else could be said.

"Aria, what the hell? I told you I would pay," Ezra chastised.

"And I told you that you didn't have to," Aria hissed.

"You like getting your way, don't you?" He cocked his head to one side.

"Yes, though it doesn't happen often," She stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, it isn't happening tonight either," Ezra mocked her tone. "I'm paying. Get over it."

Aria narrowed her eyes, "This isn't a date, Ezra." The sentence was bitter on her tongue, though it was true.

"So a man can't buy a beautiful woman dinner without it being a date?" She saw the instant regret on his face after he spoke. Her heart stopped momentarily. Had calling her beautiful been a slip of the tongue? Or had he meant it, but been holding back?

The two were silent for a beat, both unsure of what to say to each other. Part of Aria wanted to ask if he really thought she was beautiful. The other part wanted to move on and pretend it never happened for his sake.

"I'm sorry, that was…do you know what you're going to order?" Ezra awkwardly changed the subject.

Aria squinted her eyes at him, then smirked, "Well if you're paying, then I'll take the most expensive thing on the menu."

Ezra laughed, "So…the Dim Sum, then?"

Aria scrunched up her nose, "Actually, I'm a vegan, so I'll probably just have some tofu."

Ezra widened his eyes, "You're a vegan? God, I'm so sorry. Who did this to you?" By the end of his question, Aria was giggling like he was the funniest person she'd ever talked to.

"It was a choice I made back in college," She rolled her eyes playfully. "It's not as bad as it sounds."

"It sounds like hell, so it must be, what, purgatory then?" He teased.

"You know what, fuck you," She flipped him the bird as she laughed at his witty remark.

"That's not very nice. Unless of course, you're offering. If that's the case, then I say, when and where?" Aria felt a tug in her stomach as he joked. _I'd love to,_ she thought.

However, instead of admitting that, Aria simply snorted, "I may have slept with a random man on New Years Eve, and fucked my ex-boyfriend's best friend, but I'm not that easy."

Ezra shook his head, the smile fading from his lips, "How are you doing, by the way? I know you said you were fine in my office after the whole Austin thing, but…"

"I wasn't lying. I'm honestly okay. Austin didn't mean anything to me," Aria shrugged. "I've been called a lot worse by people who actually mattered. I could handle it."

"Are you talking about Liam?" Ezra lowered his voice.

"For the most part," She nodded, taking a sip of her tea. "That's the most recent."

Ezra sighed, closing his eyes as he did so, "That's not okay. I'm so sorry he was such an ass to you."

"Is," She corrected. "He is such an ass. Present tense. But I've learned to deal with it. But really, it's my fault. If I hadn't slept with Ashton, Liam would have no reason to call me those names."

"No," Ezra said with such a force that Aria jumped slightly. "You making a mistake doesn't give him the _right_ to make you feel like shit. Let me ask you this. Why were you out drinking with Liam's best friend and not Liam himself?"

"It was a coincidence that were were at the same bar. We didn't plan to meet up or anything," She answered cautiously.

"What day of the week was it?' Ezra stirred his water with his straw.

"Tuesday," Aria said as more of a question than an answer.

"Now, why would a beautiful woman-" _there it was again-_ "with a great life find herself at a bar in the middle of a work week alone…unless tings weren't so great in her life anymore?" Ezra sounded like the psychology major that Aria had gone out with once, but he made her think nonetheless.

"I needed to get out of the house," She muttered.

"The house you shared with Liam?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," She nodded.

"Why?" He pressed.

"I needed space. He was suffocating me," She confessed.

"What do you mean?" Ezra brought this water to his lips.

"He was controlling me. Always hovering. Telling me what to do and when to do it. I didn't even have a say in out sex life. If he wanted it, he got it. I felt like I was under a microscope 24/7. He knew every move I made," The words she'd kept bottled up for so long poured out of her mouth like the floodgate had been opened.

"So you lashed out?" Ezra asked.

"So I got upset," She clarified. "I couldn't breathe near him without him telling me that I was doing it wrong."

"You wanted out," Ezra stated.

"Yes. But I didn't heat on him to get out of the relationship. I would never do that to anyone. That was an honest mistake," She bit down on her lip to keep her voice from wavering.

"A mistake that helped you get out of a bad relationship," Ezra pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess," She diverted her eyes.

"So maybe it wasn't as much of a mistake as you thought it was," He suggested.

"But…"

"No buts. That mistake was your saving grace, but Liam wants you to think it cost you the best thing in your life. He's trying to make you feel inferior because he knows he screwed up. But Aria, you have to realize that he was never the best thing in your life. He was the most toxic," Ezra's voice was so gentle that Aria thought that all of the scars Liam had left her with would be gone by morning. She knew they wouldn't be, but it was a nice thought to entertain.

"Thank you," She smiled. "You're really good at breaking people down."

Ezra grinned and feigned pride, "It's a gift."

"Now, can we talk about something a little more lighthearted?" Aria practically begged.

"Of course. Who do you think will win the Super Bowl this year?" Ezra switched topics with ease.

"I don't care much for sports," Aria admitted sheepishly.

"Me neither," Ezra laughed. "I don't even know who's playing."

"May I take your order?" The waitress reappeared as the two laughed about their athletic ignorance.

Ezra glanced at Aria, asking with his eyes for her to go first. "Uh, yeah, I'll have the tofu with brown rice, please."

The waitress scrawled it down on her pad, then looked to Ezra. "I'll have what she's having."

Aria looked at Ezra in shock, while he looked at her with the goofiest grin on his face, as the waitress collected the menus and walked away. "I thought you were appalled by my veganism?"

"I'm not becoming a vegan," He threw up his hands in surrender. "No way in hell will that ever happen. I am, however, going to take a trip into purgatory tonight, just for you."

"How sweet," Aria used a voice generally used when cooing at babies.

Ezra winked as he took a sip of his water, not needing to respond with words.

The rest of their dinner went on like this, playful banter interrupted every once in awhile by heavier, more revealing topics, such as Katelyn's death or Aria's parent's divorce. Ezra all but forced Aria to break her dietary habits to try some chocolate mousse cake during dessert, which she fell in love with, though she'd never admit that to him. And when the check came, the two played a short lived game of tug of war for the bill with Ezra, of course, coming out on top.

One the drive to Aria's apartment, the two repeated how much they enjoyed themselves at dinner multiple times and sang along to the radio whenever a song they liked came on.

When they arrived at her building it was nearing midnight. Everything around the area was closed, including the coffee shop where Ezra had informed Aria that she would indeed have a job only 6 days ago. The doors to Aria's building would be locked, meaning she would have to used her keycard to get in. As she fished around in her purse for it, she heard the driver's side door open and close. When she looked up, Ezra had gotten out of the car.

"What are you doing?" Aria narrowed her eyes as she stepped out into the cold night air.

"Walking you to the door," Ezra shoved his hands in his pockets. "Is that a problem?"

Aria felt heat rise in her cheeks despite the rest of her face slowly going numb, "No, no. I just…okay."

Her heels clacked against the pavement loud enough to mask the sound of her racing heart in her chest. She knew this technically hadn't been a date, but it sure felt like one, and a small part of her hoped that it would end like one too.

The two reached the door and turned to face one another, completely unsure of what to say or do next.

"Thank you for dinner," Aria decided to say. "I had a really great time."

"Me too. And look, you're home by curfew," Ezra smiled awkwardly. Aria laughed.

The tension between the two rose to an all night high as they stood their silently, waiting for the other to say something.

"I was-" "Can I ask-" The pair started at the same time.

"You go first," They both blurted, then laughed at their poor timing.

"Aria," Ezra gestured to the space around them, signaling her to talk.

"I forgot what I was going to say," She lied. "Go ahead."

She knew exactly what she wanted to say. She wanted to say was, " _I was just thinking about how right tonight felt. Everything just came so easily to us, the conversations, the jokes, everything. I haven't felt this at ease with someone ever. I know this might be inappropriate, but I like you. I really, really like you. And I have to know, for the sake of my sanity if you like me too."_

"I forgot too," Ezra fibbed. She could read it in his eyes that he didn't forget, but rather chickened out of what he was really going to say.

"Oh, okay," Aria shrugged, though her heart yearned to know what he was hiding.

"Goodnight, Aria," Ezra said, making no attempt to head back to his car.

"Goodnight-"

Before she could finish her sentence, his lips were on hers. After a second of initial shock, Aria kissed back. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her close, while her hands circled his neck and began toying with the hairs at the nape of his neck. His lips tasted like tofu and soy sauce. She was sure that hers tasted no different. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip, begging for access to her mouth. As soon as she parted her lips, granting him entrance, he pushed her back against the wall, crushing her between his body and the cement. She moaned softly as his tongue danced across her taste buds.

After a minute, the two broke the kiss, gasping for air.

"Let's take this inside," Aria panted as the aching between her legs made itself known.

Almost immediately Ezra backed away, shaking his head firmly. He had a torn look on his face, like he was having an internal battle with his emotions. "No. No, we can't. I shouldn't have…dammit."

"Ezra," Aria reached for his hand, but he yanked it away.

"This can't happen again. I'm your boss. This is wrong," He ran his hand through his hair. "I'm so sorry, Aria. Goodnight." He turned on his heals and sped walked to his car, mumbling curse words the whole way, leaving Aria in a world of confusion and frustration, and on the verge of tears.

Their passion filled moment had ended just as quickly as it had begun. Aria just hoped whatever feeling that had driven him to kiss her wouldn't disappear as fast as he did.

 **A/N: Wow, the responses to my last chapter were so overwhelming and motivational that I wanted to get this one out as quickly as possible. Please don't hate me for the way it ended! After so much fluff I had to throw** ** _some_** **drama in there. But hey, they finally kissed! So what do you think caused Ezra to change his mind about his actions so quickly, other than the obvious? Please let me know what you guys thought about this chapter by reviewing! Reading y'all's responses make my day. Thanks so much for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9

_Flashback:_

 _"_ _He just...left," Tears were welling up in a 15-year-old Hanna Marin's eyes as she recounted the story of her first official unofficial break up._

 _Emily Fields, Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, and Alison DiLaurentis all sat in various places in Alison's bedroom the Monday after winter break, listening to Hanna vent about her holiday fling and how it had ended so tragically and abruptly. From what Aria gathered, Hanna had met this boy at the resort her father took her to, flirted with him, slept with him, hung out with him for the next two weeks, then was ditched by him after they shared their New Year's kiss. And though Aria was sure that Hanna mentioned his name and many other details about this boy, she hadn't been paying close enough attention to catch them. While Hanna spoke, Aria's eyes kept flickering over to Alison, who looked incredibly bored by her friend's story. It wasn't surprising. Lately, Ali was always bored with them._

 _"_ _Have you tried calling him?" Emily offered up her go to advice and Aria almost laughed out loud. Emily had the least experience with guys out of the group. And lucky for her, all of the guys she was attracted to were genuinely good guys, the kind that would answer her calls and wouldn't dream of "pumping the well dry" and then moving on…not that Emily ever let it get that far._

 _Alison's nickname for Emily was The Virgin Mary. Though the term 'virgin' applied to more than one of the girls, it applied to Emily the most. She'd grown up in a house hold that drilled "no sex before marriage" into her head since the moment she was born. The only penis Emily had ever seen had been on Ali's phone screen during one of their weekly sleepovers and unlike the rest of them, she hadn't been too interested in it. Ali had made the passing joke that maybe Emily was a lesbian. At the time, Emily had laughed and said her lack of curiosity was due to her wanting to save herself. 2 years later, she came out, thought Ali wasn't there to see it._

 _"_ _Of course I've tried calling him, Emily!" Hanna shouted. "I've tried everything!"_

 _"_ _God, stop yelling," Alison rolled her eyes. "Get over it. If he left you after that kiss, he's obviously a dick and isn't worth your tears. You're pathetic for crying over him."_

 _"_ _Ali, you think you're helping but you're not," Spencer hissed, moving closer to Hanna to envelope her in a hug._

 _"_ _I'm telling her the truth. She doesn't need to be coddled," Ali shrugged innocently._

 _Responses like that were typical for Ali. The girl loved to lie and deceive everyone she knew, but when it came to her friends, if the truth was going to hurt them, she would tell them. "Not telling you the truth would hurt you even more," She would say as justification. It never bothered her that her words brought people to tears. In fact, those tears seemed to bring her joy. It wouldn't be until years later that the girls, especially Aria, would realize how sick and toxic their relationship with her was._

 _"_ _Right now she does," Spencer squeezed Hanna tighter._

 _Aria watched Emily put a comforting hand on her sobbing friend, but made no move to reach out herself. She was currently Alison's favorite of the group, and consoling Hanna when Alison didn't think she needed to be consoled might screw that up for her…and Ali knew too much for Aria to risk slipping from her good graces._

 _"_ _Ugh, well I don't want to watch you baby her," Ali began to rise from her place on her bed. "Aria, come with me to get some water from the kitchen?" Her voice softened when she asked the question and a small smile appeared on her pink lips._

 _"_ _Sure," Aria consciously had to keep herself from smiling. It was one thing when anyone else asked her to do something. It was another when Ali did it. If Ali was good for anything while she was alive, it would be for making the people she deemed worthy feel incredibly special, even if just by changing her tone in voice._

 _On the way down the stairs, Ali didn't say a word, but the look on her face told Aria that she did indeed have something she wanted to talk about. The minute they rounded the corner and stepped into the kitchen, Alison opened the floodgates._

 _"_ _I'm so sick of hearing about Mr. Hotty Toddy from the resort. It's all she texted me about over break and now it's all she talks about. That girl needs to learn how to keep her love life private. I don't need to know that he was like 7 inches and that she was sore for days," Ali scrunched up her nose as she pulled open the fridge and fetched a bottle of Evian._

 _Aria's eyes widened, "She told you that?"_

 _"_ _Yes!" Ali threw one hand in the air dramatically. "It's like she thinks I care or that I can live vicariously through her if she provides me with enough details. It's gross."_

 _"_ _Yeah," Aria nodded fiercely in agreement. "Wait, was he her first time?"_

 _"_ _Probably, thought she talks a big game so I don't know for sure. But honestly, who cares? Not me," Ali uncapped her water and took a sip before continuing. "The only relationship I'm even remotely interested in is yours. So how is-"_

 _"_ _He's fine. It's fine," Aria cut Alison off, paranoid that the girls were trying to listen from Ali's room. It wasn't an implausible thought. She and the girls had eavesdropped on kitchen conversations many times when Ali had gone downstairs to try to convince her mom to let them have wine during their sleepovers. They always knew the verdict before Ali arrived back upstairs, usually with a bottle in hand._

 _"_ _Are you embarrassed?" Ali raised an eyebrow._

 _"_ _No," Aria said meekly._

 _"_ _Good, because you shouldn't be. He's so hot," Ali gushed. "And he's older. More experienced. Have you two…" As she trailed off, she wiggled her eyebrows to get her message across._

 _"_ _No, not yet," Aria swallowed._

 _Aria had been seeing this guy, Noah Ivy, for about a month. He was older, though Aria wasn't quite sure of his actual age. She did know that he was old enough to get in trouble for dating a 15-year-old girl, but he didn't seem to care. Like Alison, Noah made Aria feel special. Out of every girl, every legal girl that he could be seeing, he chose her. His only rule was that their relationship remained a secret, at least until she was of the age of consent in the state of Pennsylvania, which was 16. Aria agreed, though one of her friends already knew. Alison had encouraged Aria to go after him. She practically set it up. She supplied Aria with the kindling of courage needed to start this fire that had now consumed her. He was her first love and, unbeknownst to her back then, would remain her only love until her sophomore year of college._

 _"_ _Yet," Ali smirked. "What are you waiting for?"_

 _"_ _For it to be legal," Aria let out a nervous laugh._

 _Ali lowered her eyes, "There's no way in hell I'm letting you wait until it's…totally legal. And I don't think he wants to wait that long either."_

 _"_ _My birthday's in July. When I'm 16, it'll be okay for us to consummate our relationship," Aria protested._

 _"_ _C'mon, Aria, I know you're smarter than that," Ali cringed. "Turning 16 won't make it legal and you know that. You're just trying to justify what's going on while simultaneously putting it off. Just get it over with. Be bold. Be spontaneous. Guys like that. Noah would be over the moon and so would you. Look, this whole clandestine relationship thing you two have is sexy. But you know what would make it sexier? Sex."_

 _"_ _You're pushing this more than Noah is," Aria sighed._

 _"_ _I'm like the wingman to all men. I know what makes them happy," Ali winked. "Besides, I'm sick of Hanna and I being the only ones in the 'no more virginity' club. She's annoying about it. You won't be."_

 _"_ _Uh…thanks?" Aria narrowed her eyes at her friend._

 _"_ _You're welcome. Now…join us. Join us. Join us," Ali chanted in a witch-like tone while curling her finger and backing out of the kitchen._

 _Aria laughed and followed her friend out of the room, having no idea that in just two short weeks she would be joining Ali and Hanna in that special club, or that in 10 years, she'd still be taking Alison's advice._

*Two weeks after the kiss*

Be bold. Be spontaneous. Be bold. Be spontaneous. Be bold. Be spontaneous.

Aria repeated the words that now sounded like echoes in her brain over and over in her head as she made her way up the three flights of stairs to get to the apartment of her desires, Ezra Fitz's, 3B.

It had been shockingly easy to find the building that Ezra lived in on the internet. Sure, it had involved a bit of cyber stalking that Aria wasn't sure how she'd explain to Ezra if he asked, but it had been easy nonetheless.

Unlike Aria's side of town, Ezra lived in a posh colonial style complex that wasn't hiding cracks in the foundation with dead shrubbery. Everything was cute and quaint and sleek. The cars that lined the streets weren't Priuses whose batteries died when temperatures dropped below freezing or late models of miscellaneous cars with paint chipped off the sides, but instead were BMW's, Audi's, and Jeeps, none dating back further than 2014. It reminded Aria of Rosewood and parts of town around NYU, places where everyone was rich, be it from hard work or a trust fund. Knowing what kind of salary Ezra made as the editor-in-chief of Rockstream, Aria guessed that he was a trust fund kid.

The inside of the building was very elegant, dark paneled floors and muted colors on the wall with wooden accents in the doorways and on the ceiling. The lights were dim, as if the mood of its inhabitants was always, "Ah, yes, I'll have a glass of your finest red wine. I had such a rough day as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company." It seemed odd to Aria that the same man who took her to the dirty part of town near the shipyards claiming that he loved it there, lived in a place like this.

"3A," Aria mumbled to herself as she passed the first door with its address displayed in gold just below the peep hole.

A piece of modern art hung on the wall between apartments A and B that allowed Aria to momentarily distract herself from what she was about to do as she passed it.

When her eyes could no longer linger on the object without it being uncomfortable, she turned to face the door that stood between her and getting answers to the questions she'd been asking herself for the past two weeks. Why did he kiss her? Did he feel the same passion and electricity that she felt when their lips met? If so, why did he leave after doing so? Why was he acting like a coward and avoiding her at the office? Why was he having other employees relay messages to her when he could do it himself? Why wouldn't he answer her calls or texts? Why wasn't he acting like a man and owning up to what he did? Did he care that she was upset?

Aria raised her fist and rapped on his door 3 times. She heard some rustling around on the other side, then the click of a lock, the creak of the door, and finally the familiar voice of a stunned man. "Aria?"

"Ezra," She breathed, taking in his appearance. It was 10 am on a Saturday and it was clear that he hadn't been expecting visitors. His brown curls were still tussled from sleeping and his chin boasted stubble that hadn't been there yesterday at the office.

"What are you-no-how did you find out where I live? Yeah, that's the question I should ask first." The more he spoke, the more Aria noticed that his voice was lower and huskier when he had just gotten out of bed.

"We're Facebook friends. You tag a couple of locations near this area and a couple of Google searches later…it wasn't hard to figure out," Aria admitted sheepishly.

"I should be more careful about what I shared online then," Ezra said more to himself than to her. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk about what happened two Fridays ago," Aria said.

"There isn't anything to discuss," Ezra shook his head.

"Yes there is," Aria huffed. _Be bold._ "Can I…Can I come inside? Please?"

A look of uncertainty washed over Ezra's face. Aria knew that he had been trying to avoid a situation like this for the past two weeks. Now that she had basically cornered him, he almost had no choice to oblige. That, or he could slam the door in her face. Aria hoped for the former.

"Okay," He sighed, stepping aside to allow Aria entrance to his home.

The second that Aria stepped over the threshold it was like she'd entered a whole new apartment complex. The muted walls were covered with vintage posters, stripping away the odd colonial-modern feel that resonated throughout the rest of the building. There was a bookshelf overflowing with books against wall next to his TV and another full one built in above his bed. The coffee table was worn and low to the ground, supporting a few magazines, half full bottle of water, and a collection of remote controls. A keyboard and a couple of acoustic guitars sat in front of a thin glass door that Aria presumed led out to a small balcony. A large desk stood in the corner with its top being occupied by a clutter of papers and a typewriter. From what little Aria actually knew about Ezra, the space seemed to fit him nicely.

"This is a really nice place, Ezra," Aria smiled, trying to make small talk before grilling him.

"Thanks," Ezra said flatly. "Would you like some coffee? I was just brewing some for myself, but I figure there's enough for two."

"That'd be great, thanks," Aria nodded.

She silently watched as Ezra pulled two mugs from a cabinet, unsure of when the appropriate moment to start bombarding him with her questions would be.

"You can have a seat," Ezra said, gesturing to his small kitchen table with his head as he poured the coffee for them at the counter. "So, you said you wanted to talk about the kiss?"

"Mhmm," Aria hummed, taking a seat.

Ezra nodded in thought for a moment as he brought her the coffee. "So talk," He said once he'd sat down across from her.

"How long did you plan on avoiding me?" Aria didn't want to waste time sugarcoating the situation that was pissing her off now that she could address it.

"I wasn't avoiding you," Ezra said as he _avoided_ eye contact.

"Bullshit," Aria scoffed. "Having other people come talk to me for you, not looking at me during our weekly meetings, turning and walking in the opposite direction when you see me, I'd call that avoiding someone."

"I'm sorry," Ezra hung his head.

"I don't want an apology," Aria laughed despite herself. "I want an explanation. I want to know why you've been avoiding me. I want to know why you kissed me. Why did you leave so abruptly afterwards? Tell me what the hell is going through that pretty little head of yours because I sure as hell don't know and I'm so sick of filling in the blanks with my over active imagination."

Ezra closed his eyes, processing all of the questions Aria just spat at him and thinking of how to answer each one correctly.

Just as Aria was about to say his name to bring him back to earth, he opened his eyes and sighed, "I should've fired you."

Aria's heart dropped, "Excuse me?"

"I should've fired you," He made a move to stand up. "I should've fired you. I should've never asked you to stay after to work on the manuscript. I should've never let myself play that little game with you where we got to know each other. I certainly should've never taken you to dinner. I shouldn't have been jealous of Liam when the two of you were dating. I shouldn't have allowed myself to think about you in the ways that I have. I shouldn't have had to take cold showers because of you. I shouldn't have contemplated finding another job so that we could be together. I shouldn't have told you that I thought you were beautiful. And I shouldn't have kissed you." He was pacing the apartment now, rubbing the back of his neck quickly.

Aria's mouth fell open slightly. He was jealous of Liam? That had been ages ago. He'd been admiring her from afar all of this time and she had no idea. The kiss they shared had been a pent up inside of Aria for just a matter of weeks, but for Ezra it had been months. "You've had feelings for me for awhile?" She managed to say after an awkward pause in Ezra's monologue.

Ezra nodded slowly, "When I first met you, I thought 'who is this woman'? I haven't been that immediately attracted to a woman since Katelyn. Aria, you woke something up inside of me. Something that's been sleeping for years. Maybe I kept it asleep, maybe I just didn't know how to wake it up. Either way, you've done something to me that's opened my eyes and I'm terrified of that. I don't remember what it's like to feel something this strong and I don't know how to handle it. I guess that's why I've been avoiding you. Because I knew that if I faced you, I would tell you just what I'm telling you now and you aren't supposed to know this. I kissed you because I had to. I had to know what it felt like to be that close to you, to feel your lips on mine, your body pressed against mine. And now that I know, I want more, but I can't have it. I can't have it because I'm your boss. Fraternization between employees is frowned upon. I honestly don't know how HR let you and Liam fly under the radar. But I know that they wouldn't let us slide. Do you know how that would look? Older boss man takes advantage of 25-year-old employee. God, I can't do that to you."

An uncomfortable expression flashed across Aria's features, as if she knew that situation all too well, but she shook it off quickly. "How come you get to make that decision alone?"

"Aria, please," Ezra shook his head, begging her not to argue with him.

"No, Ezra!" Aria shouted. "I want to be with you too. Why can't I have a say in this?"

"Because I know what you'll say," Ezra raised his voice slightly.

"And what's wrong with what I'd say?" Aria moved from her spot in the chair to a standing position in front of Ezra.

"You'd try to convince us to do it anyway," Ezra said.

"We can hide our relationship, Ezra. I'd be willing to take the risk if it meant getting to kiss you again," Aria pleaded. She had always been a hopeless romantic, though her previous relationships had been more hopeless than they had ever been romantic.

"Aria, I-"

 _Be spontaneous._

Before Aria could stop herself, her lips were on Ezra's. She didn't care that he might push her away. She didn't care that he might be angry afterwards. All she cared about was trying to prove how right they would be together with her mouth and her tongue.

It didn't take Ezra long to respond- and lucky for Aria, he responded well. He began moving his lips with hers, nipping at her bottom lip with his teeth and sucking it into his mouth. Aria wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him as close to her as possible. Ezra reciprocated the touch by snaking his arms around her waist and lifting her up so that she could wrap her legs around him. He began walking backwards towards his bed, breaking he kiss only to ask, "Do you have anywhere you need to be today?" When Aria shook her head, telling him not until later in the day, Ezra smiled and turned to lay her back on his mattress.

*Four hours later*

"Are you sure you have to go?" Ezra asked, hanging on Aria's arm at the door like a child.

"Unfortunately," Aria pouted, stepping closer to Ezra. "I promised my friend Claire a girl's night and I have to get cleaned up before we go out."

"I think you look beautiful," Ezra smirked, eyeing her smudged makeup and matted hair.

Aria rolled her eyes, "Flattery won't get you anything now."

"Mmm," Ezra raised his eyebrows and pulled Aria in for a lingering kiss.

It took everything in Aria not to keep kissing him back and to pull away, "I really do have to go Ezra."

"Okay," He sighed sadly. "I guess I'll see you Monday."

"Yeah, of course," Aria said. "See you Monday."

Ezra gave her one last weary smile before shutting the door, both of them thinking _What the actual fuck just happened?_

 **A/N: I'm so so so so sorry for this update taking this long! I had so much schoolwork to do this past week! I actually put off doing homework to write this because I felt so bad about not updating sooner. I want to thank you guys for the response to my last chapter! It was overwhelming and so amazing. Please let me know what you thought of** **this** **chapter by reviewing! What did you think of the flashback? I can tease that that scene will come into play a little further along in the story too, so don't forget about it! Also, what did you think about Ezra's confession? Let me know! Thank you guys for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	10. Chapter 10

On Monday morning, Aria found herself trying a little harder than usual while she got ready for work. For the first time in her entire life, she got out of bed the second that her alarm went off instead of hitting it clumsily and muttering "5 more minutes" aloud to an empty room. She listened to a collection of happy Ed Sheeran and Adele songs while she showered, applied her makeup, and styled her hair, humming along with the permanent little smile on on her lips that had been there since Saturday.

God, Aria could not stop smiling. She had grinned the whole drive home from Ezra's apartment that Saturday afternoon, blaming the buzz she felt from their morning of adult activities for the reason that her cheeks had begun to ache. She'd thought a shower would bring her down from her high, but once she saw her naked body in the mirror and the love bites that Ezra had left in the most private of places, the euphoric feelings inside of her only intensified. When Claire had come to pick Aria up for their girls' night out, Aria had greeted her at the door with the goofiest, lop sided smile, causing Claire to ask questions and for their night out on the town to turn into a night of sitting on Aria's couch drinking wine from the bottle and talking about sex, love, and boys like a couple of teenagers. And despite her slight hangover on Sunday morning, Aria beamed as she sipped her coffee in the café across the street from her building. She had no idea _what_ she and Ezra were- were they dating? Fucking? Complicated? – but she knew that he had made her incredibly happy.

It took everything in her not to contact him for the rest of the weekend to get clarification on her uncertainty. He had told her that he would see her on Monday, not before, and she didn't want to come off as clingy or obsessive by trying to get his attention early. It was funny how much Ezra made Aria feel like she was in high school again- worrying about whether or not texting him would be too much, but having the thought of seeing him again in person making her heart beat wildly. It felt almost too cliché to acknowledge, but she really did feel 16 again.

Aria's stomach was in knots the whole drive to the office. A part of her was excited to see the man that had consumed her thoughts all weekend. Another part was terrified. What if he regretted it? What if he thought about what they did and decided that it wasn't what he wanted? The concept wasn't implausible. Moments before he acquainted his body with hers, he had been extremely hesitant to start anything more than a friendship with her because it would be unprofessional and inappropriate. She understood, but she was more than willing to fly under the radar. Ezra, however, wasn't. He was scared, skeptical. She'd kissed him to try to convince him to give them a chance and had been surprised when he gave in. In the moment Ezra seemed more than willing to give them a go. In fact, he consented to testing the waters 3 times. But Aria had had her fair share of interactions with men to know that sometimes they don't always think with the right head. One minute they're saying they love you, the next they're wondering why you're crying when they say they want to see other people.

Her body went numb as she walked through the building's front doors. Because it was Monday, Ezra wouldn't be hiding in his office like he did every other morning. Instead he would be making trips back and forth between his office and the conference room, preparing himself for their usual Monday morning meetings. Having had a relatively secret relationship with Liam, Aria understood how to go about handling a clandestine romance at work. Don't look too long at one another. Don't look into their eyes unless they're talking directly to you. Don't stand too close to one another. Don't exchange intimate glances from across the room, someone will notice. Avoid bodily contact at all costs. And don't even try to steal kisses when no one's around, the camera's catch everything. But despite knowing all of that, Aria still found herself at a loss for knowing how to handle the Ezra situation. They weren't in a relationship to her understanding. She wasn't really sure whether to classify Ezra as a one-night stand or as a potential lover. Unfortunately, they don't make a guide to "how to avoid all of the awkward tension that is bound to be present between you and your boss when you slept together after finding out that he'd been harboring feelings for you since he started working with you and admitting to him that you liked him too, but after having sex you two never really talked about what was going on so now you're both confused and don't know what to make of the current predicament, but need to figure it out fast because you've both got to be in a meeting at 9:30 sharp and have to act like you haven't seen each other naked or have any sort of romantic feelings for one another whatsoever."

Aria let out a long sigh through her nose as she bent over her desk and wiggled the mouse to her computer to wake it up.

"Morning, Ms. Montgomery," Ezra caught her attention as he moved past her cubicle and towards the conference, boasting a large stack of papers in his hands.

She returned his greeting with a smile, too afraid and caught off guard to speak. She felt her face heat up when their eyes met for a brief moment. Flashbacks to looking into Ezra's baby blues as he pushed into her for the first time and to the way they looked when they were heavy, threatening to close as he stroked her hair and back after round 3 suddenly overwhelmed her brain, causing her thoughts about everything else to go fuzzy. When he tore his eyes from hers, she saw that his cheeks had turned pink as well and that the slightest smile sat on his lips.

She watched him walk away in her peripheral vision. Forcing herself not to see him off completely, she turned her attention back to her computer to clock in and noticed the stack of 10 manila folders on the side of her desk with a sticky note on top that read: I'm out of town from Tuesday until Thursday. Need these done by Wednesday! Thanks! –Leah. Aria rolled her eyes, but didn't waste time dwelling on the extra workload. At least this gave her something to distract herself with while Ezra sat on the other side of the wall, out of reach for 8 hours and then some.

As Aria opened the first folder, Ezra passed by her desk again and made an announcement asking that everyone meet in the conference room at 9:30. He said that they were a lot of important things to discuss and that the meeting might take longer than usual, to which everyone responded with a look that said they were inwardly groaning, before padding back into his office to pass the time.

Aria cast her gaze back onto the folder and began inspecting the words on the pages, some scribbled, others typed, but was quickly pulled from her duties when she heard Liam's voice ghosting through the air in a hushed tone from the cubicle next to hers.

"The man probably got laid this weekend. That's honestly the only things that I can think of," Liam whispered.

"You think that someone fucked some emotions into him?" The question came from Ryan Piembert, one of Rockstream's newer employees and…to be less than technical…Liam's bitch The guy followed Liam everywhere and did whatever was asked of him. For some reason the twisted soul admired the biggest douche at the office.

"It's possible. A good lay will do crazy things to a man," Liam laughed lowly. "In all of the time that he's been here, I have not once seen him smile at anything other than a new client. Now he's grinning while he gives announcements and while he just walks around the place? Either he's dying and has decided to change his ways, or he got some. I'm going with the latter."

"You really think sex on say, Saturday, would still have him riding a high?" Ryan asked.

"You've never had amazing sex, have you?" Liam sounded condescending. "But to answer your question, yes, if she was really good."

"Huh," Ryan huffed loudly.

A couple of silent seconds ticked by before Aria felt Ryan's presence pass behind her as he walked back to his desk. All of the sudden, she became aware that her shoulders had crept up to her ears like they often did when she felt tense and uncomfortable. He ex-boyfriend was unknowingly talking about _her_ sex life to his petty friend while she sat one desk over. Sure, he would never know that he was talking about her, but she did and that was enough to make her skin crawl slightly. For him to know anything about her private life, whether he knew that he knew or not, felt like an invasion of privacy. It was like Ezra was her secret to keep and suddenly she was determined to do everything in her power to make him stay that way. If she found out that Ezra wanted them to work out just as much as she did, she was going to have to make sure that he kept every single one of his emotions in check.

Aria closed the file that she was supposed to be reading over and clasped it between her hands. She stood up slowly and plastered a faux-concerned look on her face as she made her way to Ezra's office. If anyone was watching her, in person or later on the cameras, she wanted to make it seem like she was just going in to ask him a question about her work.

She entered without knocking, earning herself a surprised look from Ezra that quickly turned into a bright smile.

"Hey," He mused.

"Hi, we need to talk," Aria sat down quickly and set the file on the table. "You don't need to look at that. I brought it in here for looks. We need to DTR." Her words came out sounding like one long, run-on sentence. Being alone and this close to Ezra again made Aria feel dizzy. Everything about them would be wrong. Being together would be a challenge, but a thrilling one and one that Aria wanted to take on more than anything.

"DT…what?" Ezra raised an eyebrow.

"Determine the relationship," Aria clarified.

"Oh," Ezra's expression hardened slightly. "Can we not do this here?"

"Liam knows you had sex this weekend," Aria said, ignoring Ezra's question.

"What?" His forehead crinkled with worry.

"Well, he thinks you did anyway, but he's right," Aria continued. "He thinks you're too…smiley. Which, honestly, you are. And I know that's because of me."

"Are you looking for an apology, or?" Ezra cocked his head to one side.

"No, I want to know what you want. Do you want to give us a shot? Did you get your fulfillment on Saturday? Do you think you could handle keeping us a secret?" Aria rattled off the questions she'd wanted to ask since she left Ezra's apartment two days ago. She wasn't angry. She was desperate.

"Aria, really, can we not do this here?" Ezra lowered his voice as if someone could hear them.

"I need to know," Aria snapped.

"And I need you to wait," Ezra held up his hand, physically signaling for her to pause. "I…I've kind of thought up this whole speech and I need to say everything in it to you and I can't do that here. Come over tonight?"

Aria bit her lip. A speech didn't sound like a good sign, but him inviting her over did. Although, he wasn't making it seem like she had a choice. "Okay," She shrugged after a moment.

"Great," He smiled warmly. "Come over at 7. I'll make dinner, so don't worry about eating beforehand."

"Okay, but don't forget that I'm vegan," Aria gave a half smile as she stood up and grabbed the file.

"I'll remember," Ezra nodded, letting a puff of air fall forcefully from his nostrils indicating that he was amused by her comment.

"I'll see you then," Aria nodded in return, turning on her heels to leave.

"Wait, Ar," Ezra's voice, and the use of only the first syllable of her name, like an endearing nickname, caused Aria to stop in her tracks.

"Yes?" She asked, facing him once again.

"Yes. No. And I don't know," Ezra answered.

She stared at him for a moment, hoping he'd offer a little more context to what he just said, but ultimately not receiving any explanation. It wasn't until she had sat back down at her desk that she realized that he had been responding to her questions from moments earlier.

 _Do you want to give us a shot?_ Yes.

 _Did you get your fulfillment on Saturday?_ No.

 _Do you think you could handle keeping us a secret?_ I don't know.

 **A/N: First things first, I need to apologize for the wait and for how short this chapter is! I've had so much schoolwork these past few weeks and on top of that, my motivation to write has just not been there. Every time I sat down to write this chapter, I just couldn't do it. I actually had to force myself to sit down and write this because I knew you guys were waiting. So I'm sorry that it's not the best or most interesting chapter and I'm sorry that it's so short. I promise that I'll update sooner this time (hopefully by Sunday?) and that the chapter will be of much better quality. Also, it's 12:30 and I've been up since 5 am so I'm exhausted. Another reason/excuse to why this chapter isn't up to par. Anyway, please let me know what you guys thought of it! Y'all's reviews are my biggest motivators and sources of inspiration so please, please, please review! Thank you guys so much for reading!**

 **And while you're in the reviewing mood, I wrote another one-shot, Entropy, while I was trying to get myself to write this chapter. Please check that out if you haven't already. Again, thank you guys for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	11. Chapter 11

"No, absolutely not," Claire Winston said the minute Aria stepped out of her bathroom.

Aria had enlisted in Claire's help in picking out an outfit to wear to Ezra's that evening. She had a pretty good fashion sense herself, but Claire always seemed to know exactly what to wear for any occasion. Usually, Aria would go through one or two outfits before Claire gave her permission to leave the apartment. This time around, she'd gone through six and still hadn't hit a home run.

"What? What's wrong with this one?" Aria asked, looking down at herself self consciously.

"You look like an elementary school teacher," Claire scrunched up her nose. "But I mean, if you're into student-teacher role play, I say go for it."

"Claire," Aria warned, her body stiffening at her friend's words.

"Oh shit, right, sorry," Claire shook her head rapidly. "Ignore me. Well, ignore the role play part. You really do look like an elementary school teacher and need to change."

Aria sighed and sank into one hip, "Why don't you just pick out something for me? You obviously know what I should be aiming for. Something not too conservative, but not too slutty. Something that doesn't make me look like I'm going to work, but something that doesn't make me look like I'm going to a club. Something that compliments my eyes and hair, but not this outfit because apparently I look like I spend my days with six year olds."

"I never specified age," Claire joked. "And okay, if you want me to, I will."

"Please and thank you, because I have to leave here in 15 minutes if I want to get to his apartment on time," Aria began unzipping the back of her dress while her eyes followed Claire to her closet.

"So what exactly are you hoping to get out of Mr. Boss Man tonight?" Claire asked as she browsed through Aria's dresses like a display at the mall.

"I'm not really sure," Aria answered truthfully, shimming out of her outfit and leaving herself half naked in the middle of her bedroom.

"Well, are you hoping to get laid again? Are you hoping he'll ask you to be his girlfriend?" Claire pulled a navy blue dress from the rack and held it to her body before shaking her head and putting it back.

"I guess I'm hoping for some form of clarification. These past couple of week have been so confusing. First he flirts with me, then he shuts me out, then he flirts with me again, he takes me to dinner, then he kisses me out of nowhere, ignores me for two weeks, finally tells me he has feelings for me and proceeds to have sex with me…three times. I just want my head to stop spinning and to stop making up scenarios. I want him to tell me what he wants, whether it's what I want to hear or not," As Aria spoke she laid down on her bed like the topic of what had been going on in her life and heart for the past couple of weeks was physically exhausting her.

"But you want what he wants to be what you want," Claire said, briefly looking confused as she made sure that what she had just said made sense.

"I think so," Aria shrugged. "I like him a lot."

There were a few moments of silence until Aria heard Claire's footsteps come closer and felt the weight shift on the bed as Claire climbed on, holding a simple, deep purple, long sleeved t-shirt dress with a long necklace draped over the hanger. "This with those black, lace up heels. You'll look hot and Ezra won't be able to tell you no."

Aria laughed, sitting up, "Thanks. My legs are gonna freeze on the walk from my car to his building, but thanks."

Claire rolled her eyes, "Go put it on. You've got 9 minutes."

Line break

Ezra's apartment complex was even more sophisticated at night. Swanky mood music played from speakers hidden in bushes just outside the front doors and twinkling lights dangled from the overhead canopy. Suave business professionals entered the building at the same time Aria did, all talking on their blue tooth's or answering emails on their phones and making Aria feel extremely out of place. It was hard to believe that she had lived in a place just as stuffy and uptight when she and Liam had been together.

She rounded the corner of the third floor at 7 o'clock sharp, just in time to see Ezra locking his apartment door from the outside and turn down the hall to where Aria presumed that the elevators were located.

"Ezra?" Aria called out, speeding up to try to catch up to him.

She watched as his head perked up and he turned around to face her with a sheepish expression plastered on his face. "Hey Aria. I was hoping you'd be late," He sighed, lifting his fist and drawing her attention to the reusable grocery bag in his hand. "I realized as I was making dessert that I needed soy milk for you. I need to run to the supermarket to get some. I was just about to text you and tell you it was alright if you were running a little late."

"Oh," Aria smiled as her heart upped its' tempo. She was a little surprised and very touched that he had caught the fact that whatever dessert he was making would need soy milk. When she'd first made the transition from vegetarian to vegan, she didn't even catch that detail when she attempted to make her first vegan meal. "I can go with you."

Ezra let his slowly eyes roam over her body before shaking his head, "Not wearing that. The supermarket is within walking distance. If you came, your legs would be icicles for the rest of the night. You look beautiful, don't get me wrong. I just don't want you to freeze to death."

A blush crept onto Aria's cheeks. "Thank you, but what am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

"Oh here," Ezra brushed passed her, brandishing his key and heading for his apartment door. "Make yourself at home. I shouldn't be too long. You won't be able to find anything too reputation damaging in 10 minutes," He winked.

Aria laughed, "Oh, I think you're underestimating me. I'll find all of your Playboys and drug dealer's numbers before you even leave the complex."

"Good luck with that," Ezra snorted, unlocking the door and opening it for her. "I don't own any Playboys. Not anymore, at least. Those left with my twenties."

"Ah, I see," Aria giggled as she stepped inside. "Well I'm sure I'll find something equally as damaging, don't worry."

"I won't," Ezra smirked. "I'll see you in a few."

Aria nodded and watched as Ezra closed the door behind him. She stood quietly in the middle of the room for a moment, unsure of what to do. They had just joked about her snooping around his apartment as if he were okay with it, but surely he hadn't been serious. It would be an invasion of his privacy to go digging through his drawers and scrolling through his unlocked laptop, and Aria had given up searching through someone's personal things when they weren't home the day she graduated high school. Back then, it had led her to too many nasty discoveries- the amount of time her dad had been seeing his mistress before Aria found out, her first love's romance with another girl, Spencer's Adderall addiction their senior year. And although Aria knew that Ezra was a decent guy, she also knew that everyone had secrets and that snooping around in his private life would no doubt unearth a few that should be kept buried.

Aria made her way into Ezra's kitchen to see what he'd made them for dinner as an attempt to distract herself from the cabinets that contained Ezra's daily life in his living room. Two plates sat out on the counter ready to hold their meals next to two empty wine glasses. Aria craned her neck, searching for the bottles of alcohol that the two glasses foreshadowed. If he was anything like her, he'd keep his wine on top of this fridge. A quick glance that way told her that he wasn't. He didn't have a wine rack or even cabinet space to store it. Aria shrugged to herself, figuring he'd pick some up at the store while he grabbed the milk. That or, they'd be drinking water out of wine glasses like two middle school kids who thought they were cool.

The oven was still on, keeping whatever he'd made them warm. Aria pulled the appliance door open and sneak a peek at what awaited her. From the looks of it, he'd made her some sort of vegan pasta dish. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation.

She closed the oven door and waltzed back into the living room, deciding to sit on the couch and read one of his magazines while she waited. However, before she could take a seat, a collection of photographs staged precisely on the window sill above his desk caught her eye. She hadn't noticed it the last time she'd been over, though she hadn't necessarily had the time to really take in her surroundings then. First they were confessing, then they were arguing, and then they were fucking. Not much time for meticulous observation in between.

Folding her arms over her chest, Aria approached the window to get a closer look. The one in the center, the biggest one, was a photo of Ezra in his tuxedo on his wedding day with a blonde, smug looking guy that Aria assumed was his best man. There was an ocean behind them, giving Aria the impression that he and Katelyn had had a ceremony on the beach. She smiled, having always wanted some sort of destination wedding herself. To the right of that picture, was one of Ezra, shirtless, on a dock with some of his friends. Katelyn was in the picture as well, but was not standing next to Ezra. She stood in the middle in a bikini, hanging between two guys, while Ezra stood more to the side, with his arm wrapped tightly around another woman. The picture was dated August 13th of 2002, the summer after Ezra graduated high school. Aria furrowed her brow. Ezra told her that he and Katelyn had been high school sweethearts, but they couldn't look more distant- physically and emotionally- in that photo. Had they been broken up at the time, but had to hang out because they had the same friends? If so, why would Ezra be keeping a picture from when they weren't together on display along with all of his other precious memories?

Aria shook her head, attempting to clear the assumptions from her brain. What he and Katelyn had or didn't have was none of her business. Instead of continuing to spectate, she moved her eyes onto the next picture. Ezra and a younger boy who looked a lot like him, his brother perhaps, stood beaming at the camera, both boasting certificates. The one in Ezra's hands looked to be his bachelor's degree. The one in the younger boy's hands looked like a high school diploma. Aria tilted her head in adoration. Ezra looked so proud and happy in picture, and that in turn made Aria happy.

To the left of the biggest picture was one of Ezra holding a newborn baby. The picture was big enough for Aria to make out the name Lane Fitz on the baby's wristband, or foot band rather. She supposed it was a niece or cousin since she knew that Ezra and Katelyn had never had any children of their own. It was heartwarming to see him holding a child like that. Even from the frozen moment in time from many years ago, Ezra looked comfortable and fatherly. Aria hoped that Ezra would one day get to experience parenthood, and for a split second, she found herself wanting him to experience it with her.

Wanting to shake off the rather obscure thought, she quickly shifted her gaze to the next and final picture on the window sill. It was small, the smallest of the six, yet it was the only one of him and Katelyn together. Like the dock photo, this one had the date printed on the side. February 14th, 2013. Valentines Day, the year Katelyn was killed. Ezra was hugging her from behind and kissing her cheek. Katelyn was grinning from ear to ear, holding a beer in her hand. They looked so unassuming and happy. Aria wasn't sure of Katelyn's death date, but she knew it was sometimes between the day that photo was taken and 10 months afterwards.

Aria reached her hand up and touched Katelyn's face with the pad of her thumb. It seemed odd, but Aria wished that she could've met her. At one time, she had made Ezra extremely happy. Aria hoped that one day she could do the same for him, if he'd let her, and it would be nice to have some tips from his first love.

As she ran her thumb over the picture, she noticed a piece of paper sticking out in the corner of the frame. At first, Aria thought it was another picture, just one he had never had framed. But after plucking it from its' place, Aria noticed that it was just a piece of printer paper folded into fourths. When she unfolded it, her eyes were greeted with a paragraph of thoughts in loopy handwriting. It was signed at the bottom and dated. Katelyn Moore Fitz, April 2nd, 2013. Aria hesitated a moment, holding a debate in her head on whether she should read the short letter or not. But before she could stop herself, she reverted back to her high school ways and began reading something that was not intended for her eyes.

 _Ezra,_

 _I'm not leaving you. I'm simply going to clear my head. What you did hurt me so much, but I think I understand. Our marriage hasn't been right for awhile now. A part of me thinks that maybe we weren't meant to be anything more than high school lovers. But the other part can't imagine my life without you in it. I want to keep you in my life. I want this to work. But I don't know if we can force it. We thought having kids would fix us, but clearly that isn't working. If anything, our failure to conceive is only driving us apart. And that isn't your fault. I'm the one who can't get pregnant. I know that you say you believe that what the doctors are doing will work, but your actions don't show it. I need some time away from you, from the disappointment of a negative test, and the rockiness of our marriage. I love you, please don't doubt that, but sometimes love isn't strong enough to hold together something that's this broken. Let me think for few days. And while I do that, I want you to think about us too. Think about your recent actions. Do you want this to work? I'll need an honest answer when I return, because I'll be prepared with one of my own. I hope that our answers match. I'll call you when I get to where I'm going._

 _Love,_

 _Katelyn Moore Fitz_

 _April 2_ _nd_ _, 2013_

A flood of emotions ripped through Aria. Curiosity- what had Ezra done? Guilt- She shouldn't have read the letter. Sadness- This was probably the last thing Katelyn wrote to him before she died…that's why he'd kept it.

The sound of keys jingling around in the lock suddenly filled the room. Aria folded the letter back up and jammed it between the picture and its' frame, pulling her hands away just as Ezra opened the door.

"Hey, I bought the milk, but also picked up some vegan cannoli's. I thought that it might be stupid to make the dessert while you're here, so I bought some instead. I'll save the milk for another time," Ezra rambled as he walked into the kitchen and unloaded the sack.

Aria followed apprehensively, "Sounds great."

"Find anything incriminating?" Ezra teased while putting the milk in his fridge.

"Uh, no," Aria said slowly. She wasn't exactly sure if the note she'd read had raised a red flag or just made her sad.

"Phew," Ezra sighed as he dramatically wiped sweat off his brow. "Go ahead and sit down, I'll bring your plate to you."

"Oh, okay," Aria smiled awkwardly, turning towards the table and doing as she was told.

She watched as Ezra pulled the pasta dish from the oven and served it onto the two plates that had been laid out. "So, I don't keep any alcohol in the house, but I do have water, sparkling grape juice, soda…" He trailed off like he'd run out of things to offer her.

"The sparkling grape juice sounds good. A little more sophisticated that water," Aria shrugged. "Why don't you keep any alcohol, if you don't mind my asking."

Ezra didn't answer for a moment, pretending to concentrate on pouring their drinks instead of on her question. When he turned around, his face was nearly expressionless. "Katelyn was killed in a drunk driving accident. She was on her way out of town. It was late," He sat down in front of her. "After it happened, I told myself I wasn't going to drink anymore. I never wanted to even come close to being the reason someone lost their wife, or husband, or child."

"Ezra," Aria reached for his hand and took it in her own. She had been right in her suspicions. That note had been the last thing Katelyn left him. "I'm so sorry."

"You don't need to apologize every time I bring up her death. It's not like it was your fault," Ezra said flatly. "Like I told you before, I've come to terms with her death. The no alcohol thing is more me just wanting to honor her memory than being upset about it. I wasn't the world's best husband, so I think I owe her at least that."

"What do you mean?" Aria pressed, hoping that he'd clarify what she had read in Katelyn's note.

"Nothing," Ezra waved his hand dismissively. "That's a story for another time. You came her to uh…DTR. That's what we need to focus on. The future and moving forward together, not the past and the things we did before we knew one another."

"You're right," Aria nodded. She hadn't come over to discuss how deep or dark Ezra's past with Katelyn had been. She'd come here to talk about what was in store for them. Like she'd observed earlier, his marriage wasn't any of her business. "You said you had a speech to deliver?"

"Well not so much of a speech as a rambling of thoughts I've been having since Saturday," Ezra blushed.

"I'm all ears," Aria leaned forward, taking an exaggerated bite of her pasta as she did. "Holy shit, this is good."

"I'm glad you like it," Ezra grinned. "Okay, well, where do I start?" He tapped his chin in thought. "I like you, Aria. But you already knew that. You knew that the minute I kissed you, maybe even before. And kissing you was just…wow. And then being intimate with you…wow. I know that seems lame. I'm an editor and I can't think of a better word than 'wow' to describe what it was like to be with you. But I feel like there aren't any words in the English language to describe what it was like. You're all I can think about."

Aria couldn't help but to smile. She was glad that she wasn't the only one whose head was clouded by the other one's being.

"On Sunday, I sat down and I tried to think about the consequences of being with you. I could lose my job. I could lose my credibility as an editor. But, there's something about you that's got me entertaining the idea of taking that risk. It's just…I don't know if I could be with someone like you and hide it. I want to tell the world how I feel about you. I want to hold your hand and kiss you in public without having to worry if one of our coworkers frequents the area a lot. It'd be hard to keep behind closed doors with you," Ezra squeezed Aria's hand that he hadn't let go of since she grabbed it.

"Can I ask you something?" Aria's voice was light and gentle.

"Anything," Ezra's tone mimicked hers.

"Would you rather watch me go about my day at the office, constantly wanting to touch me and talk to me, but watch me go home at the end of the day, or watch me go about my day at the office, keeping your hands to yourself, but know I'll be coming over after work and you can do everything you wanted to do to me at work in the safety of your apartment?" Aria raised an eyebrow.

"I'd go with the latter, but God, it'd be hard," Ezra hung his head.

"Yeah, it would. But what would be harder would be getting rid of the feelings we have for one another while having to see the other one at work every single day," Aria stroked his hand with her thumb.

"You're right," Ezra sighed. "But I still have reservations."

"About what? Getting caught? Ezra, I promise you that no one will find out," Aria shook her head calmly.

"But we can't keep it a secret forever, Ar. What if we get far enough into it and want to get married? What if I get you pregnant? We can't hide something like that," Ezra protested.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Aria smiled softly. "There are other firms in Boston. With a little more experience I could find a job. It would all work out."

"I feel like that's easier said than done," Ezra mumbled.

"Look, I feel like this comes down to one, simple, yes or no question," Aria said, suddenly firmer. "Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes," Ezra said without hesitation.

"Then it's settled," Aria stood up and repositioned herself onto Ezra's lap. She looped her arms around his neck as he snaked his around her waist.

Ezra leaned up, bringing his lips to be just centimeters from hers. "Okay, so we're…dating now?"

Aria giggled before pressing her lips chastely against his. When she pulled away, she shrugged, "You tell me."

Ezra smiled as he closed the gap between their mouths once again. Aria moaned in approval of his actions, feeling the smile on his lips fade as the kiss turned hungrier and more passionate. This felt right. More right than any of her past relationships had. And Aria was glad that Ezra was willing to give them a chance.

 **A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading! And thank you guys for the great and uplifting responses to my last chapter. They really motivated me to get this one out ASAP. As usual, I ask that you please let me know what you thought by reviewing! Are you happy that Ezra and Aria are finally and officially together? What do you think Katelyn was talking about in her letter? Do you think that Ezra maybe has a little darker past than Aria thinks? Let me know!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	12. Chapter 12

*One month later*

For two people who were so passionate and hands-on behind closed doors, Aria was surprised at how well she and Ezra were maintaining their strictly professional façade at the office. Their interactions were scarce, only sparing a few brief words when absolutely needed. He never looked at her for too long, never tried to cop a feel as he passed her. They'd put an end to all after hour meetings, afraid that they'd get carried away in their solitude. The two had even worked out a system to arriving at the office at different times despite having spent the night, as well as some time in the morning, together. As far as Aria knew, no one suspected a thing. Well…no one suspected that _they_ were a thing.

While Aria and Ezra- deemed "Ezria" by Claire- had done a good job of throwing people off their trail, Ezra had not done as good of a job of hiding his new found happiness. Ever since Liam mentioned Ezra having a new fuck buddy to Ryan, the whole office had been buzzing about their boss acting differently. Rumors of Ezra dating some girl named Cassidy started after an employee had been in his office and saw that name light up on his phone that was sitting on the desk during their conversation. The thought to be revelation of Ezra's lover's name made his love life the topic of conversation at lunch. The men would spit ball ideas about how she looked, the women tried to think of what it was that attracted her to their boss- other than his handsome features- and Aria sat back, trying not to laugh because she was the only one who knew that Cassidy was his cousin's wife, not his girlfriend.

She was the mother of the child that Ezra was holding in the framed picture at his apartment. Cassidy and her husband, Jason, had deemed him godfather of the little girl and would send him photos every once in awhile to keep him updated on her life. Ezra revealed this to Aria on their second official date after Cassidy texted him multiple times, interrupting their make out session in the backseat of his car like a couple of teenagers. Naturally, Aria's mind jumped to the worst case scenario. _He's cheating on me._ Ezra quickly quelled her fears by showing her the texts, which included pictures of a little girl about 5-years-old in a leotard and tights and a description of what had been going on in her life over the past couple of weeks. Ezra explained that he and Katelyn had watched his goddaughter, Lane, for months on end when Jason was diagnosed with bone cancer. He even showed Aria a couple of pictures on his Facebook to prove it. Her heart melted when she saw the photos of Ezra and Katelyn holding Lane, who was only a few months old at the time. Ezra told her that Lane had become the daughter he and his wife never got the chance to have. He still hadn't told her that Katelyn couldn't conceive, nor had he said what drove her to leave him the night she died. Every time that Aria felt like asking, she remembered that she'd then have to explain how she knew that. The two were still in their honeymoon phase and Aria didn't want to ruin that with what could lead to an argument. So instead, Aria had just nodded sympathetically and kept quiet.

The more time they spent together, the more they learned about one another. Although, most of what they'd shared with each other had been little things. The night that they officially got together, Aria learned that Ezra studied abroad in college. In turn, Ezra learned that Aria spent some time in Iceland shortly following the disappearance of Alison. On their second date, after Ezra told her about Jason, Cassidy, and Lane, Aria revealed that the idea of childbirth used to repulse her and that she had been against having children from the age of 12 to 22. When Ezra asked what had changed her mind, Aria said that a pregnancy scare with Liam did, but wouldn't go into detail beyond that. The day before Valentine's Day, Aria informed Ezra that her favorite flowers were daisies and that she preferred chocolate covered strawberries over jewelry any day. Ezra then confessed his love for dark chocolate and cheesy cards. _On_ Valentine's Day, Ezra discovered that Aria was a lot kinkier he'd previously thought and that she looked stunning in red lingerie. And Aria realized that Ezra was already completely whipped by her when he did everything she said with an eager willingness. With each shallow revelation, the two were brought closer together. And because of that, the two also found themselves holding their breath as they waited for the shoe to drop. They both knew that eventually they'd have to dip below the surface and share the nastier, grittier, relationship testing things that neither of them were sure they were ready to talk about just yet.

But lucky for them, the couple would be safe from themselves for a least one more night. Ezra's best friend, Hardy Adams- one of the few people that knew Ezra and Aria were together-, was in town for business and had invited him and Aria to some Irish pub near the shipyards, the same area that the two had their first unofficial date. At first Ezra had been apprehensive to accept the offer. He feared that someone from the office would be there. But after some coaxing and convincing from Aria that none of the white collar, tight ass people that Rockstream hired would be caught dead in that part of town, Ezra agreed. The offer had been extended a week ago. Ezra had long since shed his reservations and shaken off his nerves. Aria, on the other hand, was just now experiencing doubt and nervousness, though for different reasons. What if Hardy didn't like her? If so, would he try to convince Ezra to break up with her? Sure, they were grown men who could make their own decisions, but Aria knew that if Spencer, Hanna, or Emily advised her against dating someone, she'd usually listen. Friends are like dogs. They know whether or not someone is good enough for you. Aria learned long ago to trust her friends over her heart. Her heart had the tendency to be a sadist. Her friends wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. What if Ezra had figured out the same thing?

"Hey Aria," Liam's voice pulled Aria from her train of thought that was quickly beginning to derail itself.

Aria slowly looked up at her ex-boyfriend, expecting to see the usual sneer of arrogance plastered on his face, but was instead greeted with a soft, pleasant look, like the kind he used to give her back when they first started dating. "What's up?"

"What are you doing for St. Patrick's Day?" The tone of Liam's voice told Aria that he was as uncomfortable asking the questions as she was hearing it. It almost sounded like he was going to ask her out.

"Um, I'm not sure. Why?" That was the truth. She and Ezra hadn't talked about what they were going to do on one of the biggest drinking days of the year. Ezra didn't drink, so to him, it was just another day. However, Aria did, and a part of her wanted to celebrate.

"Ashton is having a huge party at his loft and asked me to invite you," Liam cringed as he spoke.

Aria's eyes widened, "Ashton? As in your best friend?"

"Yeah, the one you screwed and ruined our relationship with," There was the Liam Aria had grown accustomed to.

"Why does he want me there?" Aria furrowed her brow.

"Not sure. Probably wants to hook up with you again, if I'm making an honest guess," Liam shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"Oh," Aria muttered. Of course Ashton just saw her as some sexual object. That's all she'd ever been to him. Hell, that's all she ever really was to Liam.

"And you aren't mine anymore, so you're anybody's game now," Liam added.

"I'm not a possession Liam," Aria snapped. "And even if I was, I'm not on the market. I'm kind of seeing someone." As soon as she said it, she regretted it. With Ezra's love life in the spotlight at the office, she didn't need to be talking about her own. Ezra's mystery woman. Aria's mystery man. It wouldn't take a genius to put two and two together.

"Hasn't stopped you before," Liam smirked.

"Liam," Aria said a little more firmly and a little louder than she'd meant to. A few people turned in their direction, including Ezra, who had been making the trip back to his office from the restroom. "You can tell Ashton that I won't be there," This time Aria made sure to whisper.

"Will do," Liam nodded.

"You can go now," Aria hissed, turning back to her work. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him walk away with a smug look on his face, like he'd gotten exactly what he wanted out of her. For her sake, she hoped that he'd only been searching for a refusal to go to the party and not the admission of her having a boyfriend.

A couple of minutes later, Aria felt her phone vibrate on her desk. When she saw that it was Ezra's name displayed on her screen, she quickly grabbed it and hid it underneath her desk before opening the message.

 _Are you okay? I saw you talking to Liam and you looked upset._

 _-E_

Aria smiled to herself before typing back a reply. She knew that it had to have killed him not to be able to swoop in and tell Liam off. Oh, the times she'd heard Ezra talk about how much he hated that man for the things he said and did to Aria. She knew that he'd knock the guy out if ever he got the chance.

 _Yeah, I'm alright. He just invited me to a St. Patrick's Day party and made some snarky_

 _comment when I turned it down. No big deal._

 _-A_

He replied almost instantly.

 _Okay. I'll let you get back to work. Can't wait until tonight._

 _Xoxo_

 _-E_

Aria bit her lip as she typed her short reply back.

 _Me neither. Xoxo_

 _-A_

The two had yet to say those three little words that meant so much to each other, so they used x's and o's in place of them in texts. Aria was pretty sure that she was falling in love with him, but wanted to be absolutely certain before she said anything. She'd said the L word too early too many times in the past. She didn't want to make that mistake with Ezra. She wanted to mean it when she said it. And she knew that he felt the same way.

When the word "delivered" popped up under the little blurb she'd sent, Aria deleted the conversation. She hated having to get rid of all of their sweet late night texts and steamy mid-afternoon messages, but she understood why she needed to do it. Ezra wanted to minimize the amount of proof that there was anything going on between them. As a result, all texts and all calls had to be deleted from their phone's history.

The rest of the day passed without anything too eventful happening. Aria was on autopilot, trying to finish the monotonous task of reviewing folders and calling clients, while Ezra went about finalizing edits and endlessly answering emails. Though, before either of them could complain that the day seemed never ending, the day had ended. And after receiving a brief text from Ezra telling her to drive safely, confirming the address, and reminding her that he'd pick her up at 7:30, Aria was on her way home.

Line Break

Ezra knocked on Aria's door at exactly 7:28 that evening.

"You're early," Aria huffed after she opened the door. Unlike most girls who would much rather their man be early than late, Aria was annoyed by Ezra's promptness.

"By two minutes," Ezra retorted, his brow collapsing with confusion.

"Well I'm not ready," Aria crossed her arms and stepped aside. "Come in. I still need to put on my lipstick and find my shoes."

It wasn't until Ezra had crossed the threshold that Aria realized the significance of the moment. He had never seen where she lived. All of their dates had been at his complex…or at the parking lot at the docks after dark in the back seat of his car. There wasn't any reason that Aria hadn't invited him over. She just never offered up her place first when they discussed their next date and he never asked. Suddenly she wished that she hadn't left her sweatshirt- that she'd stolen from him- wadded up on her couch, and that she'd taken the time to wash and put away the wine glass that still sat on her coffee table from last night. However, she did mentally thank herself for actually taking the time to put away the laundry that she usually kept in a basket in the middle of her living room and for placing a more sophisticated magazine on top of her stack of Cosmos that sat by her TV the other night.

"Sorry it's kind of messy," Aria bit her lip, trying to gauge Ezra's reaction to her small abode. "I would say that it's not normally like this, but I don't want to lie to you." She let out a little laugh to diffuse the tension she felt in her body.

"No, don't apologize. I like it," Ezra smiled. "Very homey."

Aria rolled her eyes, "That's just a nice way of saying messy."

"Is not," Ezra snorted.

"Is too," Aria stuck out her tongue.

Ezra shook his head slowly, an amused look etched on his face. "Go put your lipstick on and get your shoes so we don't keep Hardy waiting."

"Okay, dad," Aria teased before dramatically stomping off towards her bedroom, feeling Ezra's eyes on her back as she did so.

Although she wasn't looking, Aria could clearly see the smug expression on his face in her mind when he called out, "You look amazing by the way." She wasn't sure what he liked more- the fact that her white t-shirt was low and sheer enough for her lacy, purple push up bra to be seen clearly, or the fact that her ripped skinny jeans made her ass look great. She almost asked, but decided against it, figuring he'd probably just say "both" anyway.

Line Break

"So I just want to warn you," Ezra stated for the millionth time since the two left Aria's apartment complex about 30 minutes ago as he pulled into a parking space near the pub where they were supposed to meet Hardy. "Hardy may be my best friend, but we're nothing alike. He's a lot more…open and outgoing than I am."

"Ezra, I think I get it," Aria sighed. "He's more fun than you are." She tried to hide her smirk as she watched his reaction from the corner of her eye.

"That's not what I'm saying at all," Ezra looked at her with big, worried eyes.

Aria let out a harsh breath of air through her nose to let him know that she was just messing with him and reached for his hand, "I know, babe. But, I don't think that you need to warn me. As long as he's not going to be cold and hateful towards me, I think I can handle it. He…he's going to like me, right?" Her last sentence came out weak and scared sounding, despite her want for them to sound just as lighthearted as the rest of her words.

"He's going to love you," Ezra squeezed her hand. "Almost as much as…" Aria's heart stopped. "Yeah, he's going to like you a lot," Ezra abruptly redirected his train of thought. "Let's go in."

Aria blinked, hanging back for a moment as she tried to settle her thoughts. He'd almost just accidentally told her that he loved her. Was this like the time that he'd _accidentally_ called her beautiful at dinner? God, what was it about this side of town that caused Ezra's tongue to be so slippery?

When her brain finally stopped buzzing and her heart beat regulated itself again, Aria joined Ezra on the sidewalk and linked her hand into his. It felt odd being able to hold hands without the privacy that the four walls of his apartment provided. But it felt good, nonetheless.

The pub was called O'Malley's and smelled horribly of cigarette smoke. The interior was dark, all muted colors and dim lighting, and was packed to the brim with adults…and maybe a few underage drinkers.

Ezra wrapped his arm around Aria's shoulder, holding her close as he pushed his way to the bar where Hardy was sitting and nursing a beer. Just as Aria began to really appreciate and swoon at the role of protective boyfriend that Ezra had assumed, his arm left her shoulder and enveloped his best friend in one of those weird, tough man hugs.

"Hardy," Ezra smiled, clapping the back of the blonde man that Aria recognized from the pictures in Ezra's apartment. Aria suddenly felt a little stupid for not realizing that Ezra's best man and Ezra's best friend were the same person.

"Hey man," Hardy's voice was husky, like he'd just woken up from a long nap. "Long time no see. You," He turned toward Aria, smiling wide. "You must be the famous Aria. Wow, you're even more beautiful than the pictures. No wonder he won't shut up about you when we're on the phone."

Aria raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend, "You sent him pictures?"

"I didn't send him pictures," Ezra shook his head.

"He didn't send me pictures," Hardy confirmed. "I looked you up on Facebook. How was that vacation to Cancun last summer?"

Aria's eyes widened. Ezra wasn't kidding. Hardy needed to come with a warning.

As if he sensed her uneasiness, Hardy immediately broke into a large, cheesy grin and clapped his hand down on her shoulder, "I'm just messing with you. I did look you up on Facebook, but I only saw your profile picture. Your album entitled 'Cancun! Summer 2015' was the first thing on your profile, but I didn't look through it."

Aria sighed, "Nice to meet you, Hardy. Ezra warned, I mean, told me all about you." She winked, letting him know that her verbal error was intentional and that two could play at the awkward first impressions game.

"I like this one," Hardy said, looking at Ezra.

Ezra laughed, pulling Aria away from Hardy and into his arms, "Me too."

Aria blushed and leaned back into his body. She knew she couldn't get used to this new found openness, but it was going to be nice while it lasted.

"Alright," Hardy clapped. "I know you don't drink," He eyed Ezra. "But what about you? Whatever you want, it's on me," He looked at Aria eagerly.

Aria turned her head up to Ezra, looking for approval. Not because he told her what she could or could not do, but because she didn't want to leave him alone in sobriety. When he nodded, she focused her attention back on Hardy and said, "Let's start off light. I'll take a Dos XX's."

Hardy smiled, "No girly drinks? I'm impressed. Hold on to this woman, Ezra."

*One hour later*

"So I can barely walk, right? Ezra's trying to get me up the stairs and into our dorm room safely. Keep in mind, he's also drunk off his ass. He can just balance better under the influence than I can. My girlfriend at the time, Marissa, I think it was, and this one girl who was totally in love with Ezra, but the Ezra never gave the time of day because he'd been tied down since homecoming our sophomore year of high school, are trailing behind us, laughing at God knows what…" Five beers in and Hardy would not shut up. Aria didn't mind though. She was learning a lot about Ezra's high school and college days. She nearly shot her drink through her nose when Hardy told her that Ezra texted him during class to tell him that he'd lost his virginity because he wasn't sure how to bring it up in a normal conversation. Ezra, however, did not find this memory funny. He just got red and hung his head.

Every now and then Ezra would butt in, mostly to correct his friend when he recounted a story incorrectly, usually at Ezra's expense. But for the most part, Ezra kept quiet and just stroked Aria's back or drew light circles on her knee. It was those little things that told Aria that he was enjoying this night out with her just as much as she was.

"So the RA comes out of his room just as we round the corner and, hey! A dart board just opened up, let's play!" Before Aria or Ezra could agree, Hardy jumped up and stumbled over to the vacant area.

"He didn't drive here, did he?" Aria giggled.

"Even if he did, we're calling him an Uber before we leave," Ezra ran a hand through his hair like an exasperated father with an unruly child.

"I think he's really enjoying being back with his best friend," Aria rose from her seat and turned so that she was standing in between Ezra's legs, her body pressed against his. "Are you having a good time?"

Ezra's lips twitched into a soft smile as he brought a hand up to move a strand of hair from her eyes, "I'm having the best time."

The two grinned at one another for a moment and then leaned in for a chaste kiss, knowing that they couldn't revel in the moment for too long before Hardy would come back for them.

"We just kissed in public," Aria smirked.

"Yeah," Ezra ran his hands over her hips. "How did it feel?"

"Different," She answered truthfully. "The good kind of different though."

"Good," Ezra placed a kiss on her nose as he rose to his feet. "C'mon. Let's go get those darts away from that overgrown toddler."

"Winner buys a round of shots!" Hardy yelled to them from across the bar.

"I don't think you need any more to drink," Ezra laughed as they approached. "Unless that drink is water. Also, will you give me the darts. I don't want you to stab yourself like last time."

"Last time?" Aria's mouth fell open.

"It wasn't a big deal," Hardy slurred.

"A few years ago, Hardy and I were out with some friends. Hardy got drunk, wanted to play darts. One slipped out of his hand. Long story short, we ended the night in the ER," Ezra pried the darts from his friend's hand.

"They shouldn't make these things so sharp," Hardy rolled his eyes.

"They're called darts for a reason, man," Ezra sighed playfully.

Aria couldn't help but laugh at the two's interaction. As cliché as it was, seeing Ezra happy made her happy. She had really only seen him this playful and comfortable around her, so seeing him act natural with someone else made this moment all the better.

"Whatever, man," Hardy huffed. "I have to piss. Don't go anywhere…seriously. If either of you move from this spot, I probably won't be able to find you again."

"Now's out chance, babe," Ezra joked, resting his hand on Aria's ass as he did so.

"Very funny," Hardy scoffed. "I'll be right back."

Once Hardy disappeared into the crowd, Ezra turned Aria so that she was facing him once again. "We've got about three minutes," He said coyly, sliding his hands into her back pockets.

Aria lowered her eyes, "You and I both know even our quickies last about seven."

"I wasn't suggesting sex," Ezra laughed under his breath. "But now that you mention it, we could probably buy ourselves seven minutes if we relocate to the unisex bathroom. Hardy wasn't lying about not being able to find us if we moved. The guy's got horrible sense of direction even when he's sober."

"That was a joke, Ezra," Aria shook her head. "Sex in the bathroom of a pub? No thank you."

"C'mon, the kinky girl I met on Valentine's Day would love that," He winked.

"No she wouldn't. That girl likes anal and toys, not contracting STD's from bathroom sinks," Aria whispered, not wanting any passerby to hear her say that she enjoyed anal sex aloud.

"Okay, never mind. We're wasting time. I really just want to kiss you," Ezra brought his face closer to hers.

"Then kiss me," Aria brushed her mouth against his, but made no move to actually close the gap.

Like always, Ezra did what he was told. It felt strange for Aria to kiss a man with no liquor on his breath after she'd had a few, but it was a nice change of pace.

Ezra pulled her closer to him, as if he was under the delusion that there was a position closer than no space between them. Aria balled his t-shirt in her hands and rocked into his kiss. Before Ezra, Aria hated PDA. But now, she couldn't care less. It felt good to kiss him in a crowded room. It felt good to let everyone in the establishment know that he was hers and she was his, even if no one cared. It felt good to hear the grouchy middle aged man tell them to "get a room" as he passed.

Either they lost track of time or Hardy came back way sooner than expected, because before they knew it, two friendly, drunken hands were pulling them apart, followed by a slurred reprimand. "There are young eyes in here!"

"Hardy, everyone in here is at least 21," Ezra said, still holding Aria flush against him.

Both Aria and Hardy laughed at this. "Dude, you're delusional. There's gotta be at least twenty or so teenagers in here. Don't tell me that you've forgotten about our fake I.D. days."

Aria gasped dramatically and stared at her boyfriend with a look of feigned shock, "You used to use a fake I.D. to get in to clubs? But Ezra, that's so illegal!"

"Ezra was the one who provided us with the fakes!" Hardy pointed to his friend like he was ratting him out to a parent.

"Jesus, Hardy," Ezra laughed. "Anything else you'd like to tell my girlfriend?"

"Oh, I've got plenty of stories if Aria's up to listening," Hardy nodded frantically.

"I'd love to," Aria giggled.

"Let's go sit back down. This'll take a while," Hardy motioned them to follow him back to the table they'd previously been sitting at.

Aria made a move to free herself from Ezra's grip, but he held on tighter and shook his head. "I'll get you back for this. I'll take one of your good friends out for drinks when they're in town. I'm sure they could tell me so much about you."

"If you can get them up here, that's a bet," Aria smiled innocently. Her friends had rarely been up to Boston. Apparently there wasn't enough to do there to visit more than a few times in a lifetime. Somehow, they always convinced _her_ to fly out to D.C., New York, or L.A. While it was fun, it was taxing on her wallet.

"I'll pay for their airfare myself," Ezra taunted.

"Okay," Aria shrugged, not threatened by his words in the slightest. "Go for it."

"I will," He smirked. "I can't wait to find out what who Aria Montgomery was in college and high school."

"I bet you can't," Aria lilted. "But for the time being, let's go find out more about you."

"Oh joy," Ezra rolled his eyes and begrudgingly took Aria's hand as she led him over to the table where Hardy sat…passed out against the wall.

Ezra busted out laughing at the sight, "Out before 10 pm. Poor man's getting old."

"Damn. Just when I thought this night was getting good," Aria teased.

"Oh shut up," Ezra said, pulling her in for what would be their final kiss in public for the night. She reveled in the taste of his lips, the sound of the music, and the buzz from the alcohol, not wanting it to end because, drunken best friends and all, to her, the night had been perfect.

 **A/N: I put off doing do much homework to write this, haha! But this was way more fun than college algebra and economics. I hoped that you guys enjoyed reading this! This is the longest chapter I've uploaded to date. What did you guys think of Hardy? Also, what did you think of Ezra almost saying he loved Aria? Do you think he would've meant it? I decided to skip a month ahead in their relationship because I thought seeing the start of it would be boring, seeing how they'd already kissed and had sex. As always, please, please, please review! I love hearing what y'all have to say and I'm trying to get better at responding to y'all's questions. Thank you guys so much for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	13. Chapter 13

"Please." Kiss. "Be." Kiss. "Careful." Kiss. "Tonight." Kiss.

It was St. Patrick's Day. One of the biggest drinking nights of the year had finally arrived. Aria was going out. Ezra was not.

Claire had invited Aria to McIntire's Pub, one of the swankier establishments in downtown Boston that the two had frequented to pick up richer, classier men back when they were both single. The plan was to go with some of their other friends and try to out drink each other…or uh, let loose for one night. Aria offered to stay in with Ezra and engage in some sober, but just as fun adult activities with him, but he insisted that she go out. He said that he didn't want his vow to sobriety or the secrecy of their relationship to stop her from having a good time on a holiday that was meant for getting shitfaced.

To make up for the time she wouldn't be spending with him on that Saturday evening, Aria spent the morning and afternoon at Ezra's watching movies, eating junk food, and constantly pinching him for not wearing green. However, time passed more quickly than either of them liked and before she was really ready, Aria found herself walking hand in hand with Ezra towards her car that was parked around the back of his building. When they reached her ride, Ezra pinned her up against the driver's side door and alternated between giving her kisses and words of wisdom.

"Have." Kiss. "Fun." Kiss. "Don't." Kiss. "Drive." Kiss. "If." Kiss. "You're." Kiss. "Too." Kiss. "Drunk." Kiss. "You." Kiss.

"Ezra," Aria finally found the will to pull away, stopping him mid-awkward sentence. "You sound like a scratched CD. Just spit it out."

Ezra laughed lowly, "I was trying to say, don't drive home if you're drunk. You can call me if you need a ride. We can always pick up your car tomorrow."

"I'll probably call an Uber," Aria thought aloud. "We won't leave the bar until late, so that would just be easier. I don't want to wake you at 2 am or something."

"Okay. I don't care what you do, as long as you're safe," Ezra ran his hands up and down her arms gently.

"I will be," Aria smiled softly. "Don't worry."

"Have a good time, babe," Ezra leaned in and pressed one more quick kiss to her lips.

"I will."

Line Break

The bar was packed to the brim with millennials and soccer moms swimming in a sea of green. Green hats, green antennas, green shirts, green skirts, green body paint, green alcohol. Girls danced on the tables, showing off their green bras, and a few men were trying to sell other men some green colored condoms. Aria felt like she was watching some bad Irish porno on a dial-up computer. For a pub with such a classy reputation, it really lowered its standards on days when it knew it'd rake in the most revenue.

The atmosphere had coaxed the group of five girls into a booth tucked into the back corner of the bar. They each nursed a glass of harsh green liquid and had began to feel a buzz, but weren't tipsy enough to begin enjoying the juvenile behavior going on around them yet. So instead of dancing to horrible Irish music blaring through the speakers, the girls passed the time talking and catching one another up on their lives.

Claire vented about her mother's most recent visit, calling it a train wreck on steroids. Apparently, her mother wasn't too happy that Claire hadn't given up her partying, bachelorette days and settled into a more stable lifestyle. The whole time she spoke, Aria nodded sympathetically and thanked her lucky stars that her own mother had never pressured her to live a life she wasn't ready for.

Claire's best friend, Lauren Davis, whom Aria had really only ever encountered at parties and bars, gossiped about some woman at her work who was pregnant, but didn't know who the father was. To Aria's knowledge, Lauren wasn't the purest person herself, but by the way she talked about her poor coworker one might think she was the most conservative woman on the planet.

Katie Marcus, a long time friend of Claire's and one of the first people Aria met when she moved to Boston, spoke highly of her boyfriend, Kyle, and her plans to be engaged by the end of the month. She claimed to have seen a ring box in Kyle's underwear drawer, but she'd also claimed the same thing 4 months ago and nothing had happened. During her boasting, Aria and Claire exchanged judgmental looks and raised their drinks to their lips at the same time, as if they were toasting to their friend's delusions.

Natalie Jacobs, a woman who'd taken Aria under her wing at Rockstream when she'd first started, but resigned shortly after in order to take care of her sick father full time, talked about some wreck she'd gotten in a week earlier and how the "asshole who caused the accident" is trying to take her to court to get some money out of her.

When that conversation fell flat, all eyes turned to Aria.

"So what's going on with you, Ms. Private-About-Everything?" Lauren teased, pushing Aria's arm from across the table.

"I'm not being private," Aria put air quote around the word "private". "I just don't have any crazy mother, coworker, or accident stories. And I don't think I'm getting engaged anytime soon."

"We haven't seen you in over two months and you're telling us that nothing has happened or changed?" Natalie rolled her eyes and took a swig of her drink. "I call bullshit."

Aria shrugged.

"She's got a boy toy," Claire winked, clearly slightly tipsier than when she'd spoken before.

"Claire."

"And he's her boss, which is totally against the rules," Claire continued.

"Claire!"

"Holy shit, Aria," Lauren leaned forward. "You're fucking your boss? Damn, you must really want a promotion."

"It's not like that," Aria hissed defensively.

"Wait, wait, wait," Natalie held a hand up. "Is it that guy who replaced Jillian? What was his name? Ethan?"

"Ezra," Aria murmured.

"Ah," Natalie raised an eyebrow. "He's hot. Good job."

"So, is he good in bed?" Lauren prodded.

"Lauren," Aria furrowed her brows.

"C'mon, I bet you gushed all about it to Claire. Why won't you tell us?" Katie spoke up.

"She did. She told me everything," Claire smirked.

"I did not," Aria shook her head rapidly.

"Yes you did. And if you don't tell them, I will," Claire giggled like a little girl who thought that she was clever.

"Okay, yeah," Aria surrendered. "He's good."

"Ugh, God," Claire sighed obnoxiously loud. "To quote Aria from the other night, 'He's amazing. The best I've ever had. He's huge and he feels so good inside of me.'"

"I did not say that," Aria hit Claire's arm with the back of her hand, her face turning bright red.

"Uh huh," Claire nodded. "Your vagina isn't the set of loose lips you have when you're drunk."

"Okay, that was crude," Aria gagged. "Can we change the subject, please?"

"Fine," Katie agreed begrudgingly. "Sex aside, what's he like?"

Aria couldn't keep the smile from forming on her face. She liked talking about Ezra almost as much as she liked him. Each time she listed the many things about him that made her fall for him, she fell a little further. Hearing all of his qualities out loud made him sound too good to be true, cliché as it was. "He's incredible. Smart, funny, thoughtful, charming, kind. Ezra likes everything I like. Black and white movies, Chinese food, classic literature. He isn't squeaky clean. He's got some baggage and he was upfront with me about it, which is honestly more than I can say for myself. I still haven't told him everything about me. But I like that he's not perfect and he doesn't pretend to be. He's real. He makes me feel safe and…loved."

"Have you guys said the 'L' word yet?" Natalie interrupted.

"No," Aria sighed. "Not yet."

" _Do_ you love him?" Katie asked.

Aria bit her lip and stared at her shoes for a moment as if they held the answer. It wasn't that Aria didn't know how she felt. It was that she had never said it out loud to anyone before.

"Aria?"

"Yes," Aria brought her eyes back up to look at her friends. "I think I do love him."

"Aw!" The four girls squealed simultaneously.

Aria blushed, "He's…perfect. At least to me. I…I just wish I was as perfect for him. Unflawed, you know?"

"You probably are," Katie furrowed her brow. "Kyle is always telling me how beautiful and amazing I am, but I don't see it. But when I look at him it's like I'm looking at this Greek God. He radiates light like the sun but he tells me I'm the center of the universe, the one lighting up his life."

"Well if I am it's because he doesn't know the imperfect parts of me yet," Aria sucked the inside of her cheek between her teeth.

"Like?" Claire rested her head in her hand and looked up at Aria through hooded lids, like she was about to fall asleep, which was a sure sign that she was approaching the point of no return.

"Like Noah," Aria croaked.

"Your high school ex?" Lauren cocked her head to the side.

"Oh that guy who was your-"

"Yeah," Aria cut Natalie off before she could finish her thought. "He doesn't know about what happened with Liam either."

"What? That you cheated on him?" Katie asked loudly.

"No, he knows that," Aria waved her hand dismissively. "I'm talking about what happened a couple of years ago. You know, the catalyst for our relationship truly going to shit."

"Okay, but Aria," Katie sighed. "That wasn't your fault in the slightest. I know Liam told you that it was, but you have to know by now that he was just being a dick, like usual."

"I know it wasn't my fault, but…it's what I seriously considered doing before it happened," Aria hung her head. "Ezra lost his wife about three years ago, but before that the two of them were trying to get pregnant and couldn't. She just couldn't do it. Her body wouldn't let her carry a baby to term. It hurt their marriage a lot. If he found out that I…he'd hate me."

"But you didn't Aria," Natalie took her hand and squeezed it. "You were young and scared. It's natural to think about doing something like that when you don't know what else to do. Ezra would understand. You're older now with different views. He wouldn't hate you."

Aria stayed silent. She'd gone over the scenario that would unfold if she told him her biggest secrets multiple times in her head. Each time she'd tried to imagine him reacting differently. She'd given him every emotion: angry, disgusted, upset, understanding. None of them ended in her favor. If he got angry…well then he was angry. Angry that she didn't tell him sooner. Angry that she did something so horrible like it was no big deal. If he was disgusted, then he'd never look at her the same way. With everything that she'd told him about Liam, she knew that he saw her as a victim in a way. If she told him the truth, he'd see her as the perpetrator and no one looks at the guilty like they look at the innocent. He could become upset for multiple reasons. One, she'd kept a few huge secrets from him. Two, she'd willingly lied to him about certain parts of her life. Any trust between them would be shattered. If by some miracle he was understanding, he'd still see her in a different light which would eventually drive a wedge in their relationship. No matter how the truth unfolded, she was screwed.

"You need to tell him," Claire pointed a finger at her.

"I can't," Aria shook her head and downed the rest of the alcohol in her glass. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Someone come dance with me."

Aria looked eagerly at her friends, watching them exchange looks of concern that quickly turned to looks of "fuck it". The five girls rose from their seats and sauntered on to the dance floor, leaving their conversations and hearts at the table.

Line Break

Much to Aria's dismay, the bar shut down at 3 am. The owner and several workers shooed the remaining stragglers who were too drunk to understand that almost everyone else had gone home out onto the street, which unfortunately included Aria and her friends. Taxi cabs and Ubers lined the curb, waiting for the customers that they'd surely get. Aria watched as some cab driver and good Samaritans helped a drunk guy get from the sidewalk to a car on the other side of the street, only to abandon him and tell him to find another ride when he vomited on his shoes. The sight made her own stomach feel queasy, but she brushed it off as hypochondria. She couldn't throw up. If the drivers saw her lose her dinner on the concrete, they'd all refuse her rides, and then she'd be stuck at the bar just like the poor man that she'd just witnessed.

"Need a ride?" An older man with a misbuttoned shirt untucked from his slacks asked her, tilting his head towards his cab.

"Yes," Aria nodded slowly, careful not to make herself dizzy.

"Need help walking from there to the car?" The man held out his arm for her to use as a crutch.

"Thanks," Aria slurred as she wrapped her entire arms around his elbow and began stumbling towards the yellow car.

The few feet to the cab door felt like miles. Aria's feet were killing her in her heels and with each step, all she could think about was not throwing up everywhere. She felt miserable and knew that it would only be worse in morning. She made the mental note to drink a bottle of water before falling asleep, though she knew the likelihood of her actually doing that was slim.

"Where to?" The driver asked as he opened the door for her.

Aria opened her mouth to speak, then instantly clamped it shut again. _What the hell was her address?_ The only one coming to mind was 1515 Anders Court, but that wasn't her address. It was Ezra's. "Shit."

"Do you not know your address, ma'am?" The driver looked concerned rather than annoyed.

"I…" Aria trailed off. She racked her brain again, hoping that the right combination of numbers and letters would come to the forefront of her thoughts, but all she got were the lyrics "1,2,3, 1,2,3 drink," from the song _Chandelier_ , and 1515 Anders Court. "I know my boyfriend's address, but I can't think of mine," Aria admitted, as if the driver cared whose apartment complex he would be dropping her at.

"I can take you there and maybe he can drive you home," The driver offered a polite smile.

Aria could feel the glassiness of her own eyes as she nodded 'okay'. Ezra seeing Aria this drunk and sloppy wasn't ideal, but it was kind of the only option she had. "1515 Anders Court," Aria slurred.

The man nodded before helping Aria into the cab and running around to the driver's seat. "If you need to throw up," He said, starting the car. "Please, ask me to pull over. I usually have bags for people to use, but with it being St. Patrick's Day, they've all been used already tonight."

"Okay," Aria muttered, resting her head against the window just as the cab pulled away from the curb.

The ride to Ezra's was short, and Aria was successful in not vomiting the whole way, though she did have to swallow bile that came up in her throat more than once. The driver was kind enough to help Aria into the building and into the elevator. She caught a couple of dirty looks from residents returning from a much soberer night of fun, but couldn't find the will to care in her wasted state. Although, Aria wasn't ashamed of her partying. She'd had a great time with her friends. She'd talked, laughed, and danced the night away the way she had when she was still in college. However, her dancing this time around was much more conservative than it had been when she was younger. Keeping the existence of her boyfriend in the back of her mind, Aria made it a point not to grind on any guys or do anything too provocative that would draw any unwanted attention. Unlike what she had before she started dating, Aria wanted to save the sexy stuff for Ezra and Ezra only.

When the elevator arrived at the third floor, Aria took zombie paced steps into the hallway and up to Ezra's door. She wavered back and forth between walls, making herself even more aware that she was absolutely shitfaced. She couldn't pass the straight line test if she tried.

She knocked on Ezra's door forcefully, knowing that he was probably asleep. It was 3:45 in the morning after all. About 30 seconds passed before she heard a rustling behind the door and the lock being turned. When the door opened, Aria was exposed to a very sleepy, very attractive Ezra. The only article of clothing on his body were his black Calvin Klein briefs that showed the outline of his package almost perfectly. "Aria?" Ezra's voice was low and scratchy.

Aria smirked, "Hello handsome." She tried to take a step inside, but wobbled on her heals, causing Ezra to reach out to stabilize her.

"You're wasted," Ezra stated flatly. "Tell me you didn't drive here."

"Of course not," Aria's 's' ran too far into her 'not', making her phrase sound like 'of course snot.' She giggled at the realization for a moment then continued. "I hailed a cab. Or rather, he hailed me."

"Your breath reeks of whiskey. How much did you have?" Ezra sounded like a father scolding his child, but Aria knew he meant well.

"Three…or six…or…I'm not sure. I lost count," Aria shrugged.

"Let's get you to the couch and get some water in your body," Ezra threw one of her arms around his shoulders and led her to the couch, where she proceeded to throw herself down and sprawl out across it dramatically. Ezra let out a short chuckle of amusement before disappearing to the kitchen and then returning with a full glass of water. "Here. I want you to drink all of this before you go to bed. If not, your hangover will be a bitch tomorrow."

Aria took the glass and brought it to her lips. Unfortunately, she only got through a few sips before it, and everything else she'd had that night, came out onto her dress and his floor. Underneath the sounds of her retching, she heard Ezra say, "Oh fuck", and the immediately felt his hands scoop up her hair so that it wouldn't be in the way.

It wasn't pretty. The puke, Aria, none of it. Tears of embarrassment and pain rolled down her cheeks as her stomach continued to pump itself of the toxins she'd put it in that night. Snot bubbled at her nose and dripped down onto her lips as she cried, adding to the horror of the moment. Her dress was ruined as were her shoes. Lucky for her, her stomach's contents missed Ezra's rug and landed on the hardwood instead, so his floor was semi-safe. Her brain buzzed with the apologies she'd need to say when she was finished, although she wasn't sure if a simple "I'm so sorry" would suffice. Only a deep cleaning and a cash donation in a hallmark card would be appropriate after something this disgusting. However, Aria would never find out what Ezra would want from her to make up for all of that, well at least not that night, because as soon as she stopped puking, she passed out.

Line Break

The pounding of her brain in her head is what woke Aria up the next morning…or afternoon rather. The room she was in was pitch black, aside from the red glow of the alarm clock that read 1:25 pm. The curtains had been drawn shut and the bedroom door was closed. Aria sat up, feeling disoriented and unsure about where she was. Her legs were bare underneath the blankets and her dress had been removed and replaced with an oversized t-shirt. She brought the fabric of the shirt up to her nose and inhaled deeply. The scent instantly relaxed her. It was Ezra's. And if she was at Ezra's apartment, there would be a lamp on the bed side table that would provide her with light and answers.

There was.

The soft glow of the lamp made Aria's head hurt even more, but gave her a sense of comfort at the same time. Despite her memory being somewhat impaired, Aria remembered bits and pieces of the night before. One of those pieces happened to be her throwing up all over his floor. Maybe he wasn't too angry or disgusted by her since he let her sleep in his bed. And from the look of it, he'd slept next to her all night.

Next to the lamp sat a bottle of Advil, a bottle of water, and a little note that read "Drink up, babe. I'm in the living room/kitchen if you need me. Xoxo- Ezra." As if on cue, the bedroom door cracked open and Ezra popped his head in just as Aria finished reading the note.

"Hey," He whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," Aria answered honestly. "But, really appreciative shit." She held up the Advil to explain what she meant. "Come here."

Ezra shuffled into the room and snuggled into the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her legs and laying his head next to her hip. He placed a kiss to the exposed skin of her thigh and sighed contently.

"I'm sorry about your floor," Aria said. "And for being so gross and sloppy last night. I'm extremely embarrassed. I'll pay to get your floor deep cleaned or whatever."

Ezra shook his head, a smile forming on his lips as he did so. "You don't need to do that. I cleaned it up. It's fine."

"I feel awful, Ezra," Aria pouted.

"Don't. In sickness and in health, right?" He winked.

"We aren't married," Aria rolled her eyes, then instantly regretted it as the pain in her head surged briefly.

"That doesn't mean that I can't abide by those vows already," He shrugged, taking one of his hands and running it up and down her inner thigh gently.

"Well I wasn't technically sick. I was drunk off my ass."

"Doesn't matter. You threw up, so I took care of you," Ezra stated matter-of-factly.

"So I didn't gross you out or make you hate me?" Aria asked weakly.

"You could never do either of those things," Ezra assured her.

"Debatable," Aria laughed harshly.

"What?"

 _"_ _You need to tell him."_ Claire's voice from last night surfaced in Aria's brain. She closed her eyes, knowing that her friend was right. The truth was inevitable. If she didn't tell him now, he'd find out all of the awful things about her the week before their wedding and he'd call it off, saying he wished he'd had known all of it earlier. She needed to tell him.

"Ezra," She sighed. "There's something's that you don't know about me. And…and I think that it's time that I tell you. But…please keep in mind that you just said that you'd never be grossed out by me or hate me, because I think these things might test that stance."

Ezra sat up and looked at Aria with worry and concern. "Baby," He attempted to sooth her by rubbing her arm and speaking in a soft tone.

"No, Ezra," Aria shook her head. "Listen." She took a deep breath, fighting back tears as she did so. She got emotional every time that she told theses stories, but she knew that this time would be worse. She didn't want to lose Ezra, but these confessions could change the way he looked at her.

"I told you a few months ago that I lost my virginity to a guy that didn't live in Rosewood when I was fifteen," Aria started, unable to look at Ezra, who was nodding in confirmation. "That's not entirely true. I was fifteen, but…he did live in Rosewood. He also…taught sophomore English at Rosewood High." Ezra's eyes grew wide. "That was the year my dad cheated on my mom. Or at least the year I caught him. I was upset and I let my grades drop. I nearly failed every class that semester. I was up to my eyeballs in science and math extra credit work and had just accepted that I would barely pass history. One night, I broke down in front of Alison and told her that I needed to get a B in English but I didn't think that it was possible. I only had two weeks left of that semester. So…so Alison told me to flirt with our teacher, Mr. Ivy. She told me to wear a low cut shirt and short skirt and talk to him after class. He was young, still in his twenties. Good looking. I didn't think it would work, but for some reason I tried it anyway and he took the bait, surprisingly. I started meeting him after school in his classroom and I let him…I let him do whatever he wanted to me. I was a virgin to everything, even kissing. That's all it was at first. Kissing. We'd make out, he'd feel me up, I'd go home. But then, it turned into more. I lost me virginity on the floor behind his desk. God, how fucked up is that? But what's even more fucked up is that I believed that he actually liked me. I thought he genuinely cared about me. I was so naïve to the whole thing. He just wanted me for a good lay. And let me tell you, he got it. He's the reason that I don't associate sex with love. My interpretation of love at that point was so warped that when I finally figured out that I was confusing it with lust, I didn't care. I went from being this innocent girl to the slut that fucked the teacher for an A. I…would sent him pictures, sext him in class, and let him say horrible, degrading things to me as we fucked all for a stupid A. At the time it seemed so worth it. Now I realize that I was basically just a prostitute, but instead of being paid with cash, I was paid with a letter that wouldn't help me pay my rent. It took my years to forgive myself. Now, when I think about it, it just hurts. It hurts like hell." Tears were now rolling freely down Aria's cheeks. The last person she'd told this story to was Lauren, and that had been a couple of years ago. She tried not to let herself think about it unless she had to. But each time she did, it was like slicing open an old wound. She hated who she used to be. "That's also one of the reasons that I won't go home. He still lives there, you know?"

"Aria," Ezra cooed.

"That's not all I need to tell you," Aria sniffed. Here came the whopper. "Remember when I told you that Liam and I had a pregnancy scare?" Ezra sounded that he remembered. "It wasn't just a scare. I…I was pregnant." Almost instinctively, Aria placed a hand on her stomach. "I didn't want the baby. Liam did. We fought about it day and night. Our apartment turned into a war zone. Finally, Liam told me that he didn't care what I did regarding the baby. He said he just didn't want us to fight anymore. So…I went to an abortion clinic." Aria felt Ezra stiffen next to her. Her heart broke. "I didn't go through with it. I got scared and Liam refused to go with me to hold my hand and comfort me. When I came home and told Liam that I didn't do it, he was overjoyed. He took me out to a nice dinner and showered me with compliments all night. But…two weeks later…I lost the baby. It happened at work. This was before I worked at Rockstream, so by work I mean the bookstore I worked at. Liam came to the ER and could barely look me in the eyes. When we got home, he yelled at me. He told me that it was my fault for losing the baby. He called me an unfit mother. He said I was undeserving of something so pure since I was so filthy. Why I didn't leave him right then and there, I don't know. I guess I was scared and hurting. I still believed that he could provide me with comfort during my time of grieving, despite the fact that he was causing me more pain. It was after that happened that Liam became controlling and depreciating. Even when I was better, I never broke it off. I felt like I owed him. In a way I feel like I still do."

"No," Ezra was shaking his head feverishly. "You don't owe him anything. Take it from me. I told you that Katelyn and I were trying to get pregnant when she died, and we were, but it wasn't working. It hadn't been for months. She had a couple of miscarriages here and there, so I know what it feels like to lose a baby. Liam had no reason to blame you. Just because you wanted an abortion doesn't mean that it was your fault for losing the baby. You owe him nothing. If anything, he owes you for being such a vile human being during your time of need. But I guess I can't really talk."

"What do you mean?" Aria muttered.

"I haven't been completely honest with you either, Ar. I told you that I don't drink because Katelyn was killed by a drunk driver and I never wanted to put someone else through what I went through." Aria blinked slowly, showing that she recalled the memory. "While she was killed by a drunk driver, that isn't why I stopped. Constantly trying for a baby and coming up empty handed was hard on both of us. We became irritable and got angry with each other over the littlest things. In order to calm myself down, I started drinking. It became a problem. I started lashing out at Katelyn. I caused her to leave a few times. Most of the time she came back…but one night she didn't. A drunk driver may have killed her, but a drunk husband caused her to leave the house that night. After her death, I went to rehab for awhile. I needed to get sober. I couldn't let the same habit that drove her to her death drive me to mine, or anyone else, to theirs." Ezra's voice cracked as he spoke.

"Ezra, I'm so sorry," Aria whispered as she took his hand in hers.

Ezra hung his head, "Aria, I didn't tell you that so you'd feel sorry for me. I told you that so you'd see that everyone does things that they aren't proud of. But we can't let what we did in the past define us in the present. Who you were at fifteen and twenty-two isn't who you are now. And what you just told me doesn't make me want to go back on my word. I'm not grossed out, or disgusted by you. I don't hate you. Aria, if anything I appreciate you more. You're an amazing woman who has overcome so much."

A fresh set of tears rolled down Aria's cheeks. God, she really did love this man. "I don't deserve you."

Ezra smiled and pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear, "Can I tell you one more thing about me that you don't know? Maybe this will make you see that I think that you deserve the world."

Aria laughed softly and cuddled into his side, "Sure."

Ezra sighed, hugging her small body tightly, "Well, when I was thirty-two I fell in love with a woman named Aria Montgomery, but I haven't told her yet. Do you think I should?"

Aria sat up and faced Ezra, searching for any sign of hesitation or regret of his words in his eyes. Though, all she found was adoration and admiration. He really did love her. Her heart fluttered and butterflies rose in her stomach. How was it that he made her feel like a child and a woman all at the same time? "Yes, I think you should because I have a feeling that she feels that same way."

Ezra grinned, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Aria beamed. And for the first time in her life, Aria really, truly meant it.

 **A/N: So I know I've used this excuse a million times, but the reason for the week and some odd days between updates is that I've had so much schoolwork. But good news, my spring break started this week, so I'll have a week off to do nothing but be lazy and write. I'm hoping to crank out another chapter or two of this and possibly another one shot by the end of this next week. In the mean time, please let me know what you thought of this chapter by reviewing. Reviews have been kind of down these past couple of chapters and I'm not sure why. So please, please review! What did y'all think of Aria and Ezra's revelations? Do you guys think there's anymore to either of their stories? Also, what'd you think of the "I love you"? Let me know! Thank y'all so much for reading!**

 **PS: If y'all want to follow any of my social media's to like direct/private message me or just see what I do when I'm not writing, they are as follows… Instagram: erin_leigh98 Twitter: erinleigh98 Tumblr: derpwriter**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	14. Chapter 14

Their first time making love as a couple who had declared that they did indeed love one another had been an experience for the books. Shortly after Aria had been cured of her hangover, she decided that she wanted to show Ezra how grateful she was that he had taken care of her while she was down for the count. She also wanted him to see that she was serious about being in love with him. When Ezra started that the movie the two had planned to watch one night, Aria started trying to seduce him. At first it had been just subtle caresses of his thigh, with each stroke of her hand inching closer and closer to his manhood. However, after Ezra let out a soft moan when her nails scraped the fabric covering his arousal, Aria lost all self-control and began attacking him with her lips.

The couple started out on the couch. Clothes were stripped, names were moaned, body parts were squeezed and sucked. At one point, Aria found herself on her knees, fucking the man she loved with her mouth and coming to the conclusion that maybe blowjobs weren't so horrible to give after all. Once she got him off, Ezra picked her up and carried her to the kitchen counter, where he proceeded to reciprocate the pleasure with his tongue.

They finished in his bed. Trying out new positions. Screaming out words of satisfaction. Making the headboard slam into the wall with each thrust. As Aria came, Ezra's name fell from her lips and echoed off the walls, causing Ezra's next door neighbor to bang on the wall and scream at them to shut the hell up. While it embarrassed Aria, it only fueled Ezra's fire. He pounded harder and harder into her, being very vocal as he did so. When he climaxed, he yelled Aria's name louder than she had ever heard him yell before. Her face heated up, but she had never felt more in love.

Since that night, things between them had only gotten better. They had reached a new level of intimacy, and with that came a new level of trust and respect. Their conversations became deeper, moving past the "tell me about yourself" stage and moving into the "what do you think about everything in the universe" stage. They'd had long talks about their opinions on the afterlife, which differed greatly, but ironically made for great conversation. They discussed art, literature, and history. Aria shared her favorite book series with Ezra. He watched her light up as she talked about the characters and plots, smiling all the while. In turn, Ezra played his favorite music for her, which all happened to be confined to records and not on CD's or iTunes. Well…all except for one song. _Happiness_ by the Fray. Aria had heard it before and now catches herself humming it while she cooks them breakfast or drives to work. Ezra's catches her too.

However, with all of the new revelations and amazing sex, hiding their love for one another was becoming increasingly difficult, especially at the office. The two had learned, thanks to Claire, that couples tend to lean towards one another and gravitate to each other in crowds. This knowledge forced them to become hyperaware of their stances whenever they were in the same room for more than a few minutes. Their interactions in public became few and far between, raising the eyebrows of a few specific coworkers, one of them being Liam, though no one had said directly anything.

As if Liam were testing Ezra, he seemed to make it a point to say rude and degrading things about Aria in her absence, but in Ezra's presence. He'd say things about how much of a slut she was and how she was a cold hearted bitch who had no regards for anyone's feelings but her own, then watch for a reaction from Ezra out of the corner of his eye. It took everything in Ezra not to throttle Liam right then and there, and to instead keep his eyes glued to his phone or some paper and bite his tongue, just as he would have done three months ago.

Because Aria was unaware of Liam's antics, she found that the hardest part about being in love with her boss was the fact that she couldn't comfort him if he was having a rough day until they were off the clock and behind the safety of his apartment door. Sure she could send a couple of concerned texts, but nothing would beat holding his hand and whispering words of encouragement into his ear. And unfortunately for her, this whole week had been one of those "rough days."

Aria noticed that he had been shutting himself in his office more lately, only really coming out to get coffee or hold the weekly meeting. She had gone over to his apartment on Monday evening, expecting to stay the night, but wound up leaving around ten because he was just too distant to pay much attention to what was going on around him. For the rest of the week, Ezra stayed too late at his office to leave any time for the two of them to hang out after hours. Aria wasn't upset with his behavior, but it did hurt her. It hurt her because she knew that no matter what she did, she couldn't make the pain go away.

Today had been the worst. It was April 1st. The day before the anniversary of Katelyn's death. He'd shown up late. Declined her calls. Answered her texts in short, one word replies. He looked tired and gray. Aria could only imagine what he'd be like tomorrow.

She was in the middle of shooting Ezra a sappy "I'm here for you" text in the break room when she felt a presence next to her. Lo and behold, it was the man she was desperately trying to reach.

Aria kept her body facing out towards the door, while Ezra turned his back to it to make himself a cup of coffee. "Hey, I was just thinking about you," Aria whispered.

"I was thinking about you too," Ezra plucked a Styrofoam cup from the counter and picked up the pot full of hot black liquid. "That's why I came in here. Will you come over tonight?"

His question shocked her, but made her happy nonetheless. "Of course," She barely moved her lips when she spoke.

"Thank you. I just don't want to be alone tonight," Ezra brought the cup to his mouth and took a long sip. "I need you there."

"What time?" Aria picked at a loose thread on her dress to seem occupied to any passerby.

"Seven," Ezra said.

"See you then," Aria nodded. She waited for Ezra to respond with a confirmation, but instead he just turned on his heels and scurried back into his office, shutting the door forcefully behind him.

Line Break

It was silent in his apartment. Nothing except the sound of their breathing and the hum of the air conditioner filled the room. They'd exchanged a few words when Aria first arrived, although it had been nothing more than a "thanks for coming by" and a "how are you holding up?" followed by a grunt of dismissal.

They were on his couch, cuddling, but not in the conventional way like they always did. No, this time around it was Ezra who was leaning against Aria's side, knees up to his chest and head snuggled beneath her chin. Every once in awhile, she'd hear him sniff like he was crying or holding back tears. His pain made her physically ache. Maybe he was living proof that time doesn't heal all wounds. It had been three years and it still got to him as if it were yesterday.

She knew that part of it was guilt. He would forever hate himself for being the reason she left that night. And while Katelyn no longer being in Ezra's life is what allowed her and Ezra to be together, Aria wished that they had separated on different circumstances. Divorce would've been hell, but at least she'd still be alive.

Aria felt a single tear roll down her cheek. When she went to wipe it away, removing her arm from Ezra's side, Ezra abused the lack of restraint and got up from the couch. She watched him walk over to the pictures lined up on his windowsill and pluck the note tucked into the frame that held the picture of him and Katelyn; the one Aria wasn't supposed to have read yet. He unfolded it before turning back towards her and returning to the couch.

"This is the last thing she left me," Ezra said in a hoarse voice, handing the note to Aria.

Aria took the paper tentatively and reread the words that had haunted her since their first unofficial official first date. She could feel his eyes on her as she read each word and heard him clear his throat a few times the way every man does when he doesn't want to cry. Once she finished reading, she handed the note back to Ezra and sighed. "Ezra, I can't even imagine. I am so so sorry that you lost her."

He nodded, then smiled slightly and let out a breathy laugh, "I try to look at the bright side. If I hadn't lost her, I would've never gotten the chance to know you. But this time of year, it all hits me, you know? I go for 51 weeks out of the year acknowledging that I miss her but also acknowledging that everything happens for a reason. But then on that 52nd week, I get reminded out how it's my fault she's gone and of all the things I would give to get her back. It isn't necessarily that I want to be married to her again. The marriage was doomed. Neither of us had been with anyone else. We got married because we were comfortable. But if I could just hear her voice one more time..."

Aria closed her eyes and grabbed Ezra's hand, "I know. I know."

"Did you feel that way when Alison died?" Ezra asked meekly, unable to look at her.

"For a little while," Aria shook her head slowly. "It felt weird not hearing her voice carry through the hallways at school. Sometimes I swore I heard it months after she was gone. Her death left a hole in my life for a while, but I think it was easier to get over because even though I loved Alison as a friend, I wasn't _in_ love with her. You were in love with Katelyn."

"Not at the end, I wasn't," Ezra sniffed. "Can I tell you what happened on this night three years ago?"

"Sure," Aria brought her hand to his face and stroked his cheek.

 _Flashback:_

 _"_ _What do you think about the name Braxton?" Ezra had been researching baby names for weeks in an attempt to keep the hope alive. They'd been trying for a baby for over 6 months. It was getting taxing and though Ezra would never admit it, it was making sex feel like a chore that would only end in disappointment. "Of course, it's a boy's name, so if the baby were a girl, we couldn't use it. But, I've always liked the name Sophie. Yeah, Sophie Fitz. That sounds good." Katelyn was currently on some kind of pill that was supposed to help with ovulation. It was a last resort before they needed to talk about other options, such as adoption or having a surrogate mom. "My mother always wanted me to use her name as a baby name, but Diane sounds so old. Maybe we could use it as a middle name? Sophie Diane Fitz. I like that…"_

 _"_ _Ezra, stop," Katelyn growled. She was glaring at him from across the room, baring her teeth like a dog. She had been hormonal lately due to all of the treatments, so Ezra brushed it off as nothing._

 _"_ _Why? No matter how we get a baby we're going to have to name it. It's good to start thinking of options," Ezra shrugged._

 _"_ _I don't want to think about anything that has to do with babies until I have one inside of me and it stays there for longer than a few weeks. It's too painful," Katelyn hissed._

 _Ezra rolled his eyes, "You think this isn't hard on me, too? All I've ever wanted was to be a father and it sucks that it's so hard to achieve that goal."_

 _"_ _And you think that I haven't always wanted to be a mother? Jesus, Ezra, you're so selfish. It's always about what you want and what you feel," Katelyn yelled._

 _"_ _Always about what I want? Yeah, okay," Ezra snapped._

 _"_ _What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" She raised an eyebrow, daring him to clarify._

 _"_ _It means that I don't_ want _to live in Boston. I want to live near_ my _family in New York. It means that I don't_ want _to teach English at Boston University. I_ want _to write books and edit. It means that I don't_ want _to be forced to have guys' night anywhere other than our home. I_ want _my friends to be able to come over here and for you not to be a snot nosed bitch about it. But no. I live in Boston because you want to be close to your family and who am I to tell you no? I teach at Boston University because it makes more money than writing or editing, and God forbid you have a husband that makes a little less than you do. I go out to meet my friends because I know that you don't want them here because you don't like half of them, and the ones that you do like, you think would make too much of a mess in your perfect little town home," Ezra shouted._

 _"_ _You think I don't sacrifice for you? We live closer to your work than to mine because someone didn't want to make the commute through the city. I turn the other cheek when I see you with that little whore you call your "friend" because I know that if I brought it up, you'd jump to her defense instead of reassuring me that I have nothing to worry about. I wanted to live big. I wanted to be rich. But I supported your decision to major in one of the most useless majors in the history of majors because I knew it made you happy," Katelyn retorted._

 _"_ _Do you hear yourself? You just made my case over. You're the selfish one here. You know, I thought you'd mature after high school but I guess not. Maybe it's best that you don't get to be a mother. You couldn't handle putting someone's needs before your own," As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. It wasn't that they weren't true. It was that he hadn't meant to say them out loud._

 _"_ _Yeah, well," Katelyn narrowed her eyes, a cue to Ezra that she was about to cry, but wanted to still appear tough. "Maybe you're right. What a shitty life our kid would have. A selfish mother and a no good, alcoholic father who can barely make ends meet."_

 _"_ _I'm not an alcoholic," Ezra balled up his fists._

 _"_ _Open your fucking eyes, Ezra," Katelyn laughed harshly. "How much have you had to drink today? Six beers? It's only 2 pm. You need help. You're probably drunk right now. That's why you said those things."_

 _"_ _Or I said them because they were true," Ezra snarled._

 _"_ _I want you to leave. I don't want to be around you anymore. And if you don't leave, I will," Katelyn stated her ultimatum._

 _"_ _Then you better get packing, sweetheart. This house is in my name," Ezra smirked as if he'd just won rather than lost._

 _"_ _Go to Hell," Katelyn moved past him, heading towards to staircase._

 _"_ _After you."_

"Wow," Aria blinked. "That was…intense."

"That's how the last few months of our marriage was," Ezra sighed and cast his gaze down to the floor. "I know that story made her sound like a monster, but she really wasn't. The fighting made both of us turn into people we weren't. I think we were scared. It was like we knew that baby or no baby, divorce was inevitable. And like I said, neither of us had been with anyone else."

"You once told me that when you first started dating after Katelyn died, you compared every girl you went out with to her. Why'd you do that if things had ended to horribly?" Aria asked, hoping the question wasn't too triggering.

"Because she was all I knew," He shrugged. "I didn't know how to accept differences in personalities as good things."

Aria nodded, but didn't speak for a moment. She was trying to let all of the information sink in. "So what happened after the fight? Obviously she didn't leave until the next day?"

"I left," Ezra said flatly. "She went into our bedroom and locked the door, and I was so mad that I couldn't be in the same house as her. Eventually, I gave up hope that she would actually leave so I went and crashed at a buddy's house. I came home the next evening and... found this," He motioned to the note. "A few hours later I got that call that she had been killed in a car crash." He paused. "I lied to her that night. When I told her that she wouldn't be a good mother, I didn't mean it. I was caught up in my emotions and frustrations. I'll always regret not being able to tell her that I didn't mean that when I said it."

Aria sighed heavily. She knew all too well what it felt like to be called an unfit mother. She placed her hand on Ezra's back and slowly rubbed her hand up and down, unsure of what to say next.

"Come with me," Ezra whispered suddenly.

"Where?" Aria cocked her head to the side.

"To Katelyn's grave tomorrow," He stated as if it was nothing big to ask of her.

"Oh…no, Ezra," Aria shook her head rapidly. "I can't. That's a private time for you. I don't want to intrude. Plus, I didn't even know her."

"Then I think it's time you meet her," Ezra pleaded. "Please? You've been my rock this whole week. Especially tonight. I need you there tomorrow."

Aria bit her lip. It felt a little disrespectful, but it was what Ezra wanted. She hated seeing him so broken up and depressed. The past week had practically beaten him up to the point where she hardly recognized him. If she could be there to soften the blows even just a little, she would be. "Okay."

Ezra smiled softly, then inched his lips towards hers, closing the gap at a snail's pace. When his lips finally touched hers, she could feel his smile grow slightly, causing her to do the same. Despite being buried in his sadness he was still her Ezra. She could feel it in his kiss. He kissed her with the same passion and heart that he always did, although this time it wasn't as hungry or lustful. It was slow and tender, the way a kiss of comfort should be.

It was strange, the feeling of intimacy she had just from his kiss and his confessions. He was naked with her in the emotional way instead of in the physical way, and in some ways, it felt better.

"I love you," Aria whispered against his lips.

"I love you more," Ezra challenged.

Aria shook her head and kissed him harder, trying to convey that that was in no way possible. But when he responded with the same force, he told her that maybe it was.

Line Break

Katelyn's grave sat alone underneath an Oak tree. It was rectangular with a rounded top and fresh roses on either side. The headstone read: Katelyn Moore Fitz. August 17th, 1984- April 2nd, 2013. Daughter, wife, beloved friend. Romans 14:8.

"For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. Romans 14:8," Ezra said as he placed a fresh bouquet of white roses in front of the stone, making the scene look even more picturesque than it had before. "It was one of her favorite versus. It gave her a lot of comfort when she was doubting the things in her life."

Aria stared at the grave and repeated the verse in her head a couple of times. Growing up in a household that never enforced religion, Aria hadn't learned bible verses as a child. She didn't know any books of the bible aside from the ones that were pretty much common knowledge. She hadn't known that Ezra was a biblical name or a book in the bible until Ezra told her. It wasn't that she rejected the idea of religion; she just hadn't been interested in it…until she met Ezra.

One night while they were laying in bed, Ezra told Aria some stories from his Sunday School days. He mentioned going to church every Sunday as a kid and trying to keep the tradition up with Katelyn when they got married. He talked about his favorite verses and his confirmation in the church. Aria had just listened, not having anything similar to contribute. At the time she had just brushed it off as another conversation, but the more time that went by and the more she learned about Ezra, the more she considered looking in to his faith.

"It does sound comforting," Aria answered, instantly wishing she had just nodded and kept her mouth shut. It was such a simple thing to say.

Ezra smiled and wrapped his arm around Aria's waist. They stood there for a moment just like that, not talking, just staring straight ahead. The wind blew through their hair and caused the Oak tree to rustle. The voices of other people visiting loved ones carried through the air, sounding distant and almost joyful by the time it reached them.

She left Ezra alone so that he could pray, telling him to take his time and that she would just wait in the car.

About fifteen minutes passed before he appeared back at the car with wet eyes and a sad smile. When he slid in the driver's seat, Aria immediately reached for his hand and pulled it into her lap. Ezra stared at her for a fleeting second, as if he was saying "thank you" with his eyes. The left corner of her mouth twitched upward, showing the hint of a sympathetic smile. They'd made it through the week of hell and somehow came out closer and, perhaps, stronger than before.

 **A/N: I have some good news for y'all. It comes with a bit of explanation so I'll dive right in. I have Cystic Fibrosis, which is a chronic lung disease. I've had it my whole life and every once in a while my lungs get so much mucus in them that I can't clear it out by myself, so I have to be admitted into the hospital for IV antibiotics. That's where I am now and that's where I'll stay for the next 10-14 days. So what's the good news? I'll have lots and lots of down time to write. So plan on not having to wait a week or longer between updates for a while.**

 **Personal stuff aside, what did y'all think of the chapter? Sorry I didn't go full "smut" in this chapter. But I can say that for those of you wanting that, you'll really enjoy chapter 15. *wink wink* I will also say that for those wanting a jealous Liam/Ezra, you will also enjoy chapter 15. *wink wink* What'd y'all think of the flashback from Ezra's POV? Do you like that Ezra took Aria to "meet" Katelyn? As always, I ask that you please, please, please review! Thanks so much for reading!**

 **Oh, I also want to say that I think this story is going to be about 21-22 chapters long plus an epilogue!**

 **-Erin xoxo**

 **PS: Can we talk about that Ezria scene in 6x20?! Hot damn, I am alive again!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Warning: this chapter is NSFW until the line break**

Sleepovers on the weekdays were rare. They usually only happened if the two fell asleep while watching a movie and decided it was too late for Aria to drive home once they woke up, or if they were willing to risk waking up late to indulge in a few extra hours of adult activities, which is why she kept a few extra work outfits in one drawer of his dresser. But for the most part they were few and far between. However, last night had been a different story.

At about 4:00, Aria had asked Ezra if she could leave early from work, claiming that she wasn't feeling well. She feigned symptoms of a migraine and left the office without any further questions from her boss. But instead of going home, Aria went to Ezra's. She hadn't planned on spending the night, but rather had planned to give Ezra the best 33rd birthday-eve present ever before retreating back to her apartment around eleven or so.

She cooked him his favorite meal, chilled a bottle of sparkling grape juice, covered his table in a white table cloth that she'd bought at Michael's and set it in a way that a fancy restaurant would, and then slipped into something a little sexier than her work clothes and waited on him to come home.

Aria hadn't been waiting long before Ezra walked in the door. When he saw her, his expression changed from unassuming to confused to surprised to elated in the matter of about a second. He dropped his brief case and began walking towards her, chuckling in disbelief and amusement. "You do know my birthday's tomorrow, right?"

Aria rolled her eyes, meeting him halfway and bringing her hands up to loosen his tie, "I know, but since we're going to be entertaining guests tomorrow night, I figured we could get _our_ celebration out of the way tonight."

When the topic of Ezra's birthday first came up about a month prior, Ezra had told Aria that he just wanted to spend it with her. Aria hadn't put up much a fight to get him to celebrate knowing exactly how they'd be _celebrating_ his 33rd trip around the sun. But their plans of a night in alone were quickly shattered when Ezra's younger brother, Wesley, announced that he would be passing through Boston on a business trip on his brother's birthday and said he wanted to stop by. Having not seen his brother in almost a year, Ezra welcomed the visit. But once news of Wesley's visit got out, Jason, Cassidy, and Lane asked if they could see Ezra on his special day. When Ezra accepted their request, Hardy somehow found out about the small gathering and decided he'd be joining the party along with his new girlfriend, Ashley. Hardy then extended his invite to a a few of their old college friends and their spouses/partners without Ezra's permission. So what was supposed to be a party of two had turned into a party of fifteen.

"Ah, you mean you figured we'd celebrate my birthday the way we originally planned to before family and friends ruined it," Ezra wrapped his arms around Aria's waist and pulled her close before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"It sounded nicer the way I put it," Aria laughed. "But yes. We're going to celebrate. Just me and you."

And celebrate they did. After they ate the dinner that Ezra continuously praised Aria for, Aria served her boyfriend a slice of key lime pie and decided to let him open up one present early. His eyes lit up when she handed him that little pink bag that every man loves to see his woman with. Aria watched as he pulled out the black teddy that she purchased a few days ago with this occasion in mind. He begged her to put it on and tried to immediately rip it off of her once she had. She teased him a bit while he got her warmed up. Once they were both ready to go, the only sounds that were heard in the apartment for a couple of hours after were the sounds of the squeaking bed, the occasional moans echoing off the walls, and heavy breathing.

At around 11:30, Aria told Ezra that she was going to head home. But instead of releasing her from his embrace and resigning to the fact that he'd spend the night alone like he usually did, Ezra tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her flush against his body. He shook his head rapidly and told her that he wanted her to be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes as a 33-year-old. Already being high on the feeling of ecstasy and her own emotions, that was all it took for Aria to agree to stay.

The next morning, the light glow of the morning sun and the feeling of feather light kisses being trailed down her spine pulled Aria from one of the best night's sleeps she'd had in awhile. She was laying on her stomach, her head turned to face the room rather than the man beside her. Her lips twitched into a soft smile and happiness overtook sleepiness once she realized that Ezra had been kissing her body in her sleep, coupled by sight of her lingerie on the floor and the memories of last night flooding her brain.

The sheets rustled as she turned to face her boyfriend, the birthday boy. His eyes were still coated with sleep and the smile he wore was tired but satisfied. She ran on hand up his bare chest and scraped his skin with her nails gently before saying in a hoarse voice, "Happy birthday, old man."

He laughed, then grabbed her hand, brought it up to his mouth, and kissed her knuckles. "I'm not _that_ old. Besides, if I remember correctly, you're the one who was too tired to go for round three last night, not me," He smirked, all traces of tiredness disappearing in an instant.

Aria kicked his leg lightly underneath the sheets, "It had been a long day. Work, setting up your early birthday dinner, plus that lap dance I gave you before we got down to business was a real work out. You're lucky you got two rounds out of me."

Ezra chuckled and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, "I'm not complaining. I'm just stating a fact. You, the 25-year-old, couldn't go for a third round. Whereas I, the now-33-year-old, could've easily gone one, maybe two more rounds."

"Bullshit," Aria narrowed her eyes. "You don't have the stamina for four rounds in one night." She hooked her leg around Ezra's waist in order to pull herself closer to him, wanting him to know she was serious about calling his bluff, but instead becoming blissfully aware of his prominent morning wood.

"Maybe not," Ezra shrugged and not-so-discreetly raised his hips so that she would feel his entire length against her thigh. "But I know that I've got more stamina than you do. Little miss drop-out-after-two-times."

Both turned on and frustrated by Ezra's taunting, Aria rolled herself on top of him and bit her lip seductively. "Well, both of us just had a good night's sleep and we've got about forty-five minutes before we have to get ready for work, so how about you and I see who has the better stamina, right here, right now?"

Without waiting for an answer, Aria smashed her mouth to Ezra's and aligned her heat with the tip of his penis. She could feel her arousal drip down her legs and the familiar need for friction grow stronger by the second. Ezra brought his hands down to her ass and gave it a firm squeeze before settling them on her hips and tugging down.

Aria moaned and pulled her lips away just far enough so that she could articulate her question. "Are you up for this?"

Ezra smiled and bucked his hips upward in response, the head of his cock grazing her slick entrance and eliciting a moan from both of them. He then grabbed a fist full of Aria's dyed-blonde locks and pulled her face back down to his. They didn't waste time with close mouth kisses that would eventually work up to involving the tongue. No, right off the bat their mouths were open and their tongues were dancing across each other's teeth and sliding down one another's throat.

With his other hand, Ezra released Aria's hip and grabbed ahold of her left breast. He massaged it roughly and rolled her taut, pink nipple between his fingers. He swallowed the deep moans that his actions drew from her and smiled slightly. If the two had more time, Ezra would dedicate a large amount of time to her nipple stimulation. Her breasts were extra sensitive and Ezra had learned that if he paid enough attention to them, she could orgasm without his cock ever entering her.

As a response to the work of his wonderful hands, Aria gyrated her hips, teasing Ezra's cock, which was dripping with pre-cum and swelling by the second, with her soaked pussy. She could feel him throbbing beneath her, matching the rhythm of her own pulsating center perfectly.

"Fuck baby," Ezra let out a breathy moan. "I need to be inside of you, now."

"Mmm," Aria purred. She wanted him inside of her too. She wanted his swollen member stretching her inner walls, fucking her so hard that she forgot her own name. She wanted to see white when she hit her orgasm and wanted to feel his hot cum fill her completely when he hit his. She wanted to hear her name fall from his lips like his only prayer as she bounced up and down on his cock and for the air to smell like their love making for hours after they finish. And if it had been any day besides Ezra's birthday, Aria would've taken his pleas as her cue to start in on him and make her wants a reality. But today she wasn't going to make it that easy. Today everything would be handed to him on a silver platter. Whatever the birthday boy wants, the birthday boy gets. But not this. He had poked fun at her just before this started, so she was going to make him ask for it. She was going to make him beg. "Tell me," Aria breathed. "What exactly do you want?"

"You," Ezra responded instantly, leaning up in an attempt to kiss her swollen lips.

Aria retreated back, "Not a good enough answer." She lowered her hips so that she was leaning against his shaft. "So let me ask you again. What _exactly_ do you want?"

"Aria," Ezra grunted. "I want to fuck you. I want to make you cum."

"Not specific enough," Aria smirked.

A look of determination washed over Ezra's features and his lust-filled eyes seemed to turn red with the utmost desire and passion. Before Aria knew what was happening, Ezra grabbed her shoulders and flipped them over so that he was on top…so that he was in control. Aria's mouth contracted into an o-shape and she had one eyebrow cocked. She made a move to say something, but was stopped when Ezra lowered his head next to hers and brought his lips to her ear. "You want specific?" His breath was hot and moist. Aria let out a high pitched moan as an answer. He let out a short laugh, then let one of his hands travel slowly down her belly and to her vagina. Her body writhed in anticipation. "I can be specific."

One of Ezra's fingers stroked her labia gently, causing goose bumps to appear on Aria's arms. "First, I want to warm you up by fucking that tight pussy of yours with my fingers."

As soon as the last word left his mouth, he stuck his index and middle finger into Aria's tight, wet opening. Her breath hitched in her throat and she dug her nails into Ezra's shoulder blades. He pumped his fingers in and out, slowly at first, then more rapidly as time went on. He rubbed circles on her clitoris with is thumb, causing Aria's breathing to become short and ragged. She had told him many times before that he had magic fingers, and he was proving himself over again as he pulled her to the edge with just two of them.

It didn't take long before Aria felt the familiar tightness in the pit of her stomach, signaling her approaching orgasm. "Ezra, I'm gonna cum."

Ezra looked up at her and licked his lips, "Well that's too bad. Because I also want to bring you to the edge, but…"

"Ezra," Aria gasped. Just one more thrust and she'd be there.

Suddenly, Ezra retracted his fingers. Aria's head shot up, nearly knocking hers on his. He grinned, "I don't want you to get off. Not yet."

"Fuck you," Aria hissed.

Ezra brought his hand up to his mouth and sucked on the fingers that had been inside of her, then placed a kiss on a reluctant Aria's nose, "That's the goal. Hand me a condom out of the drawer."

"No," Aria shook her head.

"Please," Ezra tried.

"No."

"Aria."

"I want you to ride me raw," Aria whispered. "I'm sick of there being a stupid rubber barrier between you and me."

Ezra furrowed his brow. In that instant, Aria knew that his little game that she'd started was over. She hadn't meant to end it. To be honest, she was enjoying it. Despite how she originally went into this round, she was all for a dominant, slightly cocky Ezra. It was hot. But what would make it even hotter? Not using a condom for once. She'd been thinking about asking him to go bareback for a long time, but never found the courage. But as soon as Ezra forced her into the more submissive roll, she was able to scrounge it up. How ironic.

"Aria, if we don't use protection I…"

"I'm on the pill," Aria argued. "And I have the Plan B stuff. Please. Think about how good it would feel."

A hint of a smile ghosted Ezra's lips as she watched him imagine what being inside of her with no barrier between her walls and his skin would be like. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Positive," Aria nodded. "I trust and love you."

"Okay," Ezra nodded.

The two stared at each other for a moment. As lust-filled as both of their eyes were, they could each see the love radiating beneath it. This was a big step for them and an even bigger one for Aria herself. She could only imagine how many times Ezra and Katelyn had unprotected sex when they were trying for a baby. He already knew what it was like. Aria didn't. Every man she'd ever slept with had used protection. And if even if they didn't want to, Aria had made them. She never wanted to risk getting pregnant. Hell, her pregnancy with Liam's baby had been the result of a broken condom, not complete carelessness. So this was an important thing for her. She had only been with Ezra for a little over three months, but Aria had a feeling that Ezra was "the one". At least, she hoped he was. And that's why she was asking this of him. Because hope is reckless and all in.

The feeling of Ezra's lips on hers pulled Aria back into the moment. She kissed back passionately and raised her hips to meet his. With a gentle hand, Ezra guided her back down to the mattress. He began trailing kisses along her jawline and down her neck, quickly finding one of her sweet spots and sucking hard on it. Aria tilted her head back to give him better access, arching her back as she did so. She let out a breathy moan when she felt his teeth nip at her sensitive skin as he attempted to leave his mark on her. Normally, she'd tell him to stop so that she wouldn't have to cover up his love bites before going in to the office that morning, but she couldn't find the will to tell him no right now. Doing a complete 180 from her philosophy at the start of their sex, Aria decided the birthday boy would indeed get what the birthday boy wanted. And if he wanted to suck on her neck until she bruised, then so be it.

Aria felt Ezra's hands snake from her hips to in between her legs and begin to push her thigh apart. To make things easier, Aria wrapped her legs around his waist, her heels digging into his ass. Her heat pulsated, needing friction, needing him. "Ezra, please. I need you now," She whimpered.

Ezra brought his head up from her neck and looked deeply into her eyes, "You're one hundred percent sure about this? Because I can try to pull out before I…"

"No," Aria hissed. "I want you to cum inside of me."

"I love you," Ezra said with a look of amazement and horniness on his face.

"I love you too," Aria giggled. "Now make me scream."

Needing no further instruction, Ezra lined himself up with her hole and pushed his twitching member in slowly. They both gasped at the foreign feeling of uninterrupted contact. She could feel her pussy stretch around him, trying to accommodate for his huge size. "Ah," Aria sighed contently.

Ezra began thrusting into her, picking up pace with each movement of his hips. Aria matched his tempo, creating a steady rhythm between the two. Their breathing became ragged and short as they rocked together.

Aria's mind blurred. Her only focus being on the feeling of Ezra's enormous manhood inside of her. She could feel her inner walls constricting around him, practically milking his cock. His thrusts were unforgiving and took her to the border of pleasure and pain. Her back arched to it's full extent as she cried out words of affirmation and her eyes were squeezed shut.

To increase Aria's already incessant moans, Ezra brought a hand down to play with her clit as he pounded into her. "You're so fucking tight," He praised through labored breaths.

"Ah," Aria responded, his words sending a wave of ecstasy through her body.

She could feel herself become wetter the harder he slammed into her. Their skin slapped together noisily, the sound adding to the intensity of the moment. Soon, a familiar feeling rose in the pit of her stomach, telling her that she was about to lose it.

"Ezra," Aria screamed. "I'm going to…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Ezra hooked his arms underneath her back and flipped them over to their original position. "I want to watch you. Sit up."

Aria did as she was told. She placed her arms on his chest to steady herself as she sat up straight on Ezra's cock. She watched his eyes darkened with pure, unadulterated lust as he got a good look at her naked body. "Fuck, you're beautiful," He whispered under his breath.

Not wanting to lose momentum, Aria didn't linger too long in a stationary position. She began to bounce up and down with reckless abandon. She brought one hand up to her breasts and began fingering her nipples to increase the power of her climax. She let the other hand fall to her clit and picked up where Ezra had left off. From underneath hooded lids, she watched Ezra's face contort with lust. She was driving him wild.

His cock began to twitch rapidly deep inside of her pussy, driving him to thrust his pelvis upwards in an attempt make her climax before him. One of his thrusts hit her G-spot roughly, sending Aria over the edge.

"Ezra!" She yelled, throwing her head back and losing control of her breathing. Her body began to tremble and it was all she could do to keep from collapsing on top of him to continue riding out her high. He wanted to watch her come undone. She wasn't going to be selfish and take that away from him by burying her face into his chest and trying to regulate her heart beat.

Her cum covered his penis completely. The sight, coupled with the feeling of her vagina collapsing around his member, cause Ezra to shoot his hot semen inside of her. He grunted loudly, leaving his mouth agape as he emptied his load into his girlfriend.

When she couldn't take it anymore, Aria collapsed, her head slightly bouncing off Ezra's chest as she did so. Ezra's arms immediately wrapped around her back and squeezed her tight.

Aria's body continued to shake for several minutes, during which time neither of them exchanged words. One, because the couldn't catch the breath long enough to say anything. And two, because no words needed to be said. As always, their love making felt right and there was no need for justification afterwards.

After about five minutes, Ezra nudged Aria off of him and stood up. "We should probably start getting ready for work," He yawned.

Aria nodded, but made no move to get up.

"I'll let you rest while I go shower," Another yawn.

Aria smirked, "Or we could save water and shower together."

"If we shower together, it'll inevitably lead to something more. I don't think we've got time to get carried away," Ezra shrugged, walking over to get a fresh pair of underwear from his dresser.

Aria sat up, pulling the thing bed sheet around her chest and rolling her eyes, "What if I promise to be a good girl and keep my hands to my self?"

"You can promise all you want, but I know you," Ezra winked, reaching his hand down to stroke his flaccid penis. "You wouldn't be able to resist."

"I think you're just too tired," Aria raised an eyebrow flirtatiously. "You don't have the stamina. I win." She was referencing their banter from earlier that morning.

"I do too," Ezra pouted like a child.

"Then prove it," Aria slid out of bed and strutted over to him. "Take a shower with me and prepare for the possibility of it ending with fucking. And maybe if you're lucky, I'll throw in the best goddamn blowjob you'd have ever gotten in your 33 years on this earth."

She didn't wait for his reaction. As soon as she finished speaking, she pushed past him and sauntered into the bathroom to turn on the shower. Her only indication that he was up for the idea was when she heard him whisper, "Happy birthday to me," under his breath. And that was all she needed.

Line Break

Work was agonizing. Thoughts of that morning and the night before were all that was buzzing around in Aria's brain. She'd already been to the restroom twice to relieve herself of the ache she felt between her legs.

She didn't necessarily want to jump Ezra's bones again…well she did, but that wasn't all she wanted. A huge part of Aria had wanted them both to call in sick from work and stay in bed all day, cuddling and talking like they usually did on a Saturday after a morning of love making. But they couldn't. Not only would they both lose a day of pay if they called in sick, but it would raise already heightened suspicions at the office that something was going on between them. They didn't need to throw any bones to the rabid bloodhounds that were their coworkers.

Though, despite her warped thoughts, Aria had successfully avoided Ezra that day, worried that any contact would make her throw caution to the wind and kiss him in front of everyone. Well, she'd avoided him until now.

A bouquet of flowers with a couple balloons tied to it was brought in by the receptionist just as Aria was passing the entry that separated the lobby from the office. Not wanting to do her job, the receptionist forced the flowers into Aria's hand, told her they were delivered for Ezra, and then walked off. As annoyed as Aria was by the girl's actions, she was trying to hold back a laugh at the same time. Aria had ordered these for him as a joke. He hated when other employees got balloons and flowers and stuffed animals on their birthdays. He said it was too flashy and inappropriate for the workplace. Aria, on the other hand, liked the gestures. So to spite him and make herself happy, she had these delivered under the name April Miller.

As Aria made her way across the office, she felt a hand grab her elbow and pull to a stop.

"Buy those for your boyfriend?" Liam asked casually.

Aria rolled her eyes as she turned to face him head on, "No. The receptionist these to me and asked me to give them to Fitz."

"Jealous that another woman is buying him flowers on his birthday?" Liam cocked an eyebrow.

"Why would I be jealous?" Aria narrowed her eyes. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Really?" Liam scoffed. "Then who gave you that hickey on your neck? Looks pretty fresh to me."

Aria's hand shot up to the spot that Ezra had sucked so hard on that morning. She had tried to conceal it with makeup, but couldn't get it to totally go disappear from sight. "It is. But that doesn't mean Fitz gave it to me," Aria laughed harshly. "I _do_ have a boyfriend."

"Well then you're cheating on that boyfriend with Fitz. I guess you call him Ezra. Or does he like it when you call him Mr. Fitz in bed?" Liam lowered his voice so only she could hear his crude accusation.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Aria hissed. "I'm not cheating on anybody with anybody."

"Then you're dating Fitz," Liam shrugged.

"What? Where are you getting that idea?" Aria could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"You two really should be more careful about how you get to work after you've spent the night together," Liam cocked his head to the side.

Aria raised her eyebrows as she waited for him to explain.

"I saw you two in the parking lot this morning. You arrived at the same time. You talked to one another. And last I checked, Fitz doesn't stand that close to his coworkers, unless of course, he's fucking them. I saw you stroking his arm."

Aria's eyes widened.

They had been so careful before today. They would arrive at different times. Neither of them initiated physical contact in places that they could be seen. Aria blamed the excess of hormones and testosterone coursing through their veins for their carelessness. Though it wasn't really an excuse. What they'd done was a stupid mistake.

"Liam, please don't say anything," Aria pleaded. "You and I were in this position once. Please, you have to understand. We could lose our jobs."

"What's he promising you?" Liam sneered.

"What? Nothing. He's not promising me anything. We…we genuinely love each other," Aria whimpered.

Liam chewed on his lip for a moment, pondering his next move. Was he going to threaten her? Was he going to tell HR?

"Liam," Aria begged.

"I won't tell," He said finally.

Aria let out a long breath that she'd been holding.

"But," He continued. "You have to give me something in return for keeping this secret."

"What do you have in mind?" Aria sank into one hip.

"Not sure yet," Liam shrugged. "But let's just say, I don't want Fitz to get to have all the fun with you."

 **A/N: Ah, semi-cliff hanger! I thought it was about time for some drama to start brewing, so here it goes. What do y'all think that Liam meant by that final sentence? Also, I have a new respect for people who write smut all the time. This chapter was my first real attempt at it and it was really hard! I hope you guys enjoyed it. Also, I know I said there'd be some Ezra/Liam jealousy, but it didn't feel right to throw it in once I actually wrote the chapter. So, I decided to plant the seed for jealousy/drama to begin instead.**

 **Also, sorry about the update taking longer than expected. I wanted to post yesterday, but the wifi crapped out on me.**

 **Side note: I am doing better. My lung function went from 67% to 95% in four days! I'll probably be out of the hospital by Saturday. In the mean time, I'll be writing away!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	16. Chapter 16

Aria hadn't stopped internally shaking since her interaction with Liam at the office that afternoon. She felt cold and terrified. She knew that it was unhealthy to be afraid of that man, but she couldn't help it. Liam was not the same person she had started dating all those years ago. He was heartless and vile and had the most poisonous mind that she'd ever encountered. Just as Ezra started to make Aria feel safe and loved, Liam swooped in and undid it all with one threat.

He still hadn't specified what he wanted from her. And as per usual, Aria's brain was run rampant with the outlandish thoughts and requests that she thought he might make. She jumped every time she got a text message, scared that it might be Liam with the address to a hotel or a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Of course, Aria knew that she didn't _have_ to do what Liam asked of her, but she also knew that if she didn't, both her and Ezra could be unemployed.

The cherry on top of what might possibly be Aria's first public nervous breakdown was that Ezra's party started in a few minutes and when it did, she'd have to entertain strangers and try to win the approval of all of Ezra's closest friends and family.

She'd been unusually quiet since she arrived at Ezra's apartment about half an hour ago. When Ezra pointed it out, Aria brushed it off as nerves. She told him that she was just anxious about meeting all these important people in his life. Ezra tried to quell her false fears by telling her that they'd love her just as much as he did and then pulling her in for a tight hug. Aria appreciated the gesture, but felt no better. This was one of the rare times that Aria wished Ezra still drank. If he did, he'd keep some liquor in the apartment and Aria could have a couple glasses a wine to buzz her mind into oblivion.

She was in the bathroom doing some deep breathing and checking her appearance when the first guest arrived. The muffled voice of a guy slipped through the cracks of the bathroom door, followed by an enthusiastic and loud greeting from Ezra. Aria smoothed out her skirt and plastered a fake smile on her face before joining the two men in the entry way.

"Aria," Ezra grinned, extending his arm out for her to walk into. "This," He gestured with his other hand to the carbon copy of himself that stood in front of them. "is my brother Wesley. Wes, this is my girlfriend, Aria."

Aria reached her hand out to shake Mini-Ezra's, "Hi. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," Wes winked in a friendly way. "It is so nice to be able to put a face to the girl my brother won't shut up about on the phone. Seriously, you'd think the man was in love or something." He chuckled. "Sorry for ruining your night alone together. Yeah, Ezra told me how I wrecked your two's plans. And I can see why he was upset. You're very beautiful. My brother is a lucky man."

Aria looked up at Ezra, who was blushing and rolling his eyes, clearly embarrassed by his sibling. "Thank you," Aria giggled awkwardly. "And it's okay. _I_ don't mind."

"Speaking of very beautiful women, Melissa sends her love. She says happy birthday and that she wishes she could be here," Wes stuck his hands in his jacket pockets. Aria was about to ask who Melissa was when Wes turned to her, noticing her confusion. "Melissa is my wife. Even though I'm heading off to another city for business tomorrow, Melissa wanted to fly to Boston with me and then fly back home after the party. But, being six months pregnant, we decided it was better for her just to stay back in Albany."

"Oh, congratulations," Aria said, genuinely shocked. "Ezra didn't mention that you were married, much less expecting. Do you know the gender?" As soon as Aria asked the question, she regretted it. There was probably a reason that Ezra hadn't told her and that reason was probably called jealousy. His younger brother was married and starting a family, while he was turning another year old, a widower, and childless after months of trying.

She felt Ezra's arm leave her shoulder and his presence start to recede. "I'm going to go get something to drink. Anyone want anything? I've got water, soda…"

"I'll take a water," Wes nodded.

"I'm fine," Aria said weakly.

The two watched Ezra walk slowly into the kitchen before returning to their conversation in hushed tones. "Girl," One side of Wes's mouth twitched up into a smile. "We're naming her Melanie. Melanie Katherine Fitz."

"That's a beautiful name," Aria mused.

"Do you want kids?" Wes eyed his brother as he asked, as if he was telling her that she better since Ezra did.

"Yeah," Aria licked her lips. "Some day. I don't know if I'm ready now, though. I'm only 25."

"Hey, I'm 27," Wes put his hands up in defense of himself. "Technically, I was 26 when we found out. I didn't think I was ready either. But then Melissa came at me waving a positive pregnancy test so I decided that I better get ready."

"So it was a surprise," Aria smirked. "Cute."

"Cute? I was scared shitless. I still am!" Wes laughed.

"You still are what?" Ezra asked, coming up suddenly behind Aria and handing Wes a bottle of water.

"Uh, scared," Wes took the bottle quickly. "About becoming a father."

Ezra swallowed and averted his eyes, "You'll be a great one."

Aria could physically feel the tension between the two boys. _You probably screwed something up. It's like you to do that._ Liam's condescending words from months ago crept into her brain. The memory was random, but with as much as she'd been thinking and fretting about him in the past couple of hours, it didn't feel unwarranted. Of course she'd think of Liam's harsh statement as she felt crushed underneath the silence between her boyfriend and his brother. It was her fault the subject of Ezra's jealousy and Wes's pride had been brought up. She'd pressed the issue. If possibly screwing up Ezra's career as a reliable editor wasn't enough, she had to ruin the mood at his birthday party right off the bat too. What a great girlfriend she was.

Aria's mental pity party and the suffocating tension between Fitz's were interrupted by a crisp knock on the door. More guests. Someone else for Ezra to interact with. Thank God.

As soon as Ezra opened the door, a little girl lunged for his legs and screamed, "Ezra!" Aria recognized the child from the pictures Ezra had shown her in his car the night they had been making out in the back seat like two sex driven teenagers. It was his goddaughter, Lane. Her parents, Jason and Cassidy stood behind her, watching their daughter with the utmost amount of love in their eyes. Aria observed how good Jason looked. Not in a she-was-attracted-to-him way, but rather in a he-looked-really-healthy way. Ezra told her that he just recently gone into remission. The cancer was gone, but the remnants of its wrath were not. But despite his scars, he looked healthy. And Cassidy looked perpetually relieved.

"Hey Lane!" Ezra enveloped the little girl into a big bear hug and picked her up off the ground. "How's my favorite goddaughter?"

"Good," Lane kicked the air, then leaned back to look at Ezra in the eyes. Aria couldn't help but smile at the sight. Ezra really would make an amazing dad. "Happy birthday!"

"Why thank you," Ezra grinned. "There's someone I want you to meet." He looked in Aria's direction. "Babe?"

Aria shuffled over to the family, feeling a bit awkward since all eyes were on her.

"Lane, this is my girlfriend, Aria," Ezra turned his body so that Lane could get a good look at her.

"Hi Aria," Lane waved. "Are you going to marry Ezra?"

"Lane!" Cassidy chastised sweetly from behind her, while Aria blushed profusely and Ezra laughed.

"It's alright, Cass," Ezra assured his cousin-in-law before giving his attention back to the kindergartener. "You know what, I don't know if we're going to get married, Lane. Aria and I have been dating for three months and sixteen days, so I think it's a little too soon to tell. But," He lowered his voice into a whisper, the kind that everyone could still hear, but that tricked the child into thinking she was the only one who knew what he was saying. "I really love her a lot, so I wouldn't rule out the possibility. And if we do decide to get married, you'll be the first to know."

"Can I be the flower girl?" Lane whispered back.

"Of course!" Ezra exclaimed, his eyes sliding over to Aria and giving her an amused look. Aria returned his mood with a tight lipped smile and the scrunching of her nose.

"Is that Lane Fitz I see?" The sound of Hardy's hoarse voice pulled the attention of everyone in the room. He was standing in the doorway, hand in hand with his girlfriend, Ashley, who looked like a Barbie doll with glasses.

Lane wiggled in Ezra's arms until he put her down, then ran over to Hardy and jumped into his embrace, "Hardy!"

Aria scooted closer to Ezra, not taking her eyes off of the event unfolding in front of her, "Hardy knows Lane?"

"Uh yeah. He met her back when Katelyn and I took care of her. He kind of got attached and stayed a part of her life even when she went back to Cassidy and Jason. He went to her pre-school graduation. I wasn't even at that," Ezra snorted, crossing his arms.

"That's sweet," Aria acknowledged, watching as Hardy introduced Ashley to the little family.

"Huh, the kid gets to meet this girl before I do," Ezra smirked. "I guess now we know who Hardy really came to see."

"Ezra," Aria bit her lip, pivoting to face him completely. "I…" A part of her wanted to apologize for urging Wes to talk about Melissa and the baby. Another part wanted to tell him that they shouldn't get to far ahead of themselves in terms of where their relationship was going because Liam had found out and if Aria didn't do what he asked of her, they'd have to break up or risk losing their jobs and credibility. And another part wanted to kiss him so that all of the guilt and confusion and fear would stop momentarily.

"I love you," Aria settled on the kiss part of her. She closed the gap between their bodies and placed a quick kiss on his lips. Her mind briefly displayed images of their passionate morning together and other times of peace and happiness the two had shared. When she pulled away, her lips formed the second real smile she'd given that evening.

Ezra looked confused by her action, but returned the smile nonetheless, "I love you, too."

"Ew!" Lane shrieked from Hardy's arms. "Cooties!"

Line Break

The party had divided. Boys in the kitchen. Girls in the living room. Ezra's college buddies had arrived and brought talk of their jobs, girls, and oddly enough, politics, with them. The women quickly became uninterested in arguing about who would make a better president and which Victoria's Secret model had the best boobs in the latest fashion show, and congregated in the living room to discuss their children or plans to have them, _their_ jobs, and the men they had brought with them.

Aria was pretty zoned for most of the conversation. She wasn't trying to be rude, but she also didn't have much to offer. Most of the women around her were six to ten years older than her. They had more experience than she did at everything. Well...okay maybe not _everything._ From the way the girls talked, Aria definitely had a leg up when it came to the bedroom situation, but that wasn't something she really wanted to discuss with a bunch of strangers.

Her mind kept wondering to the topic of Liam. It had been almost seven hours since he threatened to blackmail her, yet she'd heard nothing from him. She'd be deluding herself if she thought he'd have dropped the matter. She knew him too well to suspect that. However, it was a nice thought to entertain.

"Aria, are we boring you?" Cassidy laughed, catching the glassy, far off looking in Aria's eyes.

"What?" Aria furrowed her brow. "No. No, it's just…well I don't have much to contribute. I'm enjoying just listening though." The lie sounded believable enough.

"Can I ask you something? And I'm not trying to offend you, so please don't get on the defensive," Cassidy showed Aria her palms like she was surrendering.

"Um…okay?"

"What do you and Ezra have in common? I mean you're what…eight years a part in age," Cassidy cocked an eyebrow.

"Seven years and 2 months. I turn 26 in July," Aria tried not to sound snappy, although she was a little peeved at the question. As if she wasn't stressed out enough about the future of her and Ezra's relationship. She didn't need someone poking their nose in their business to find faults.

"My bad," Cassidy attempted to sound cordial but just came across as fake.

"Ezra and I have a lot in common actually. For starters, we're both editors," Okay, that wasn't technically true, but they didn't need to know that. "We both love classic literature and movies. We'd take an old silent film over _The Hunger Games_ any day. We have a similar taste in music. Granted, I didn't listen to a lot of what he likes until we met, but I really enjoy it now. We do have differing views on things like religion, but surprisingly enough we can civilly talk about those views for hours. We have the same sense of humor. Dry, witty, sarcastic. We both love Chinese food and eating take out on the floor. And…" Aria stopped herself.

"And?" Cassidy pressed, a rather bitchy smirk appearing on her face.

"And…" Aria glanced over to where Lane had passed out on the couch, making sure she was still fast asleep. "We share the same favorite sex position."

The women around her widened their eyes. A couple of them smirked, feeling a sense of pride in the younger woman trying to defend her relationship with an older man.

"Do you usually date older guys?" Cassidy asked, a little weaker than before.

"I don't' seek them out if that's what you're asking," Aria clasped her hand together in her lap. "But yes. It usually works out that way."

Cassidy nodded, then smiled slightly, "So, how did you two meet?"

Aria's stomach dropped. Unlike Cassidy's previous questions, this one hadn't had malicious intent, yet Aria felt knots in her intestines as if this too had been meant as a challenge to determine her worth. "Um…we met through work." Saying 'through' instead of 'at' allowed for interpretation. It didn't necessarily mean that they worked at the same office.

"Where'd you go to college?" Cassidy asked, accepting Aria's previous answer.

"NYU," Aria stated proudly.

"Oh, New York!" Cassidy clapped. "That's where I'm from. Is that where you grew up?"

"No," Aria shook her head. "I grew up in Pennsylvania." She didn't want to specify the town. Too many bad things came up in a google search of Rosewood.

"So what brought you to Boston? I mean most people live near where they went to college or grew up. The only reason Ezra's here is because Katelyn's family moved here years ago to be closer to her ailing grandfather, and well, she's such a family girl she wanted to be close to them." Cassidy explained what Ezra already had as if he never told her anything about his previous relationships.

"Uh, actually I moved to Boston because of my ex-boyfriend," Her stomach churned at the mention of Liam. "He worked up here. We kind of did the whole long distance thing. So when I graduated, he wanted me to move in with him. I didn't have anything tying me down in New York, so I agreed." She glanced back at Ezra in the kitchen, who was listening intently to Hardy tell a story that required a lot of hand movement. "I'm really glad I did."

"How long were you two together?" One of the other girls piped up. Her name was Alexis and if Aria's memory served her correctly, she was Ezra's college buddy, Chad's, wife.

"About four years," Aria muttered.

"Damn, that's a long time," Alexis clucked her tongue. "Chad and I were only together for two years before he popped the question. Did you two break up because he was afraid of commitment or something?"

 _No,_ Aria thought. _Actually I cheated on him. But before you freak out, I was drunk and it was a mistake. Plus, the end was coming anyway. He was extremely verbally abusive and treated me like shit. He watched me 24/7 like he was my father. It was horrible and I felt suffocated. And now, he may want me back. Or at least want my body back. He intends on blackmailing me because he knows about Ezra and I dating, which is bad because surprise, Ezra is my boss._

"Something like that," Aria said instead.

"Ugh, guys like that are the worst. I've dated a couple myself," A girl named, Erica, scoffed.

Aria gave a stiff smile and nodded, unsure of how to respond. Liam wasn't afraid of commitment. He just never saw a real future with Aria. Or at least, he didn't after she lost his baby. After that, his only intent was to 'pump the well dry' and move on once she no longer satisfied him.

Suddenly, Aria's phone vibrated in her lap. She glanced down and felt goose bumps rise over her entire body. Liam had finally texted her with a request. "Um, excuse me," Aria said, trying to stand on shaking legs. "I've got to take this."

Aria disappeared into Ezra's bedroom as quickly as her legs would carry her, shutting the door and locking it once she got inside.

Her blood ran cold upon reading the words he'd sent her.

 _I'll start off light, sweetheart. I've missed your body. Send me a couple_

 _of pictures I can masturbate to. Make 'em good._

 _-Liam_

Tears pooled in Aria's ducts. She'd sent him plenty of pictures when they were dating. A couple of them were so inappropriate that she had actually been uncomfortable sending them back then. And being the pervert he was, Aria was sure that Liam kept most, if not all of them backed up on his iCloud. He didn't need her to send him anything. But he was asking because he knew it would degrade and humiliate her.

She didn't want to do it. Every part of her brain shut down the idea. He said he would 'start' off light, meaning these pictures would only be the very beginning. Aria knew where he'd take it and she couldn't go there. She wouldn't.

But then again, her and Ezra's job were on the line. Hell, she didn't even care about her job. She only cared about Ezra's. She knew that being editor-in-chief was his dream job and something he never got to do when Katelyn was alive. If he got fired for having an affair with an employee, he may never get that title again.

Aria collapsed onto Ezra's bed, letting her tears spill over. It shouldn't be this hard.

With blurry vision and shaking fingers, Aria typed back a message.

 _I'm at a friend's party right now. Can I send them_

 _to you later tonight?_

 _-Aria_

The question didn't mean she would actually do it. She was just buying herself more time to decided what to do.

He wrote back immediately.

 _Of course, kitten. Make sure you send one of your amazing tits._

 _I can't stop thinking about them._

 _-Liam_

Aria nearly vomited on the spot. Kitten was what Liam used to call her in bed. He liked to use the nickname a lot when Aria was begging him to stop or slow down because she was in pain. He thought it soothed her when in reality it made her want to rip his throat out.

"Aria?" Ezra knocked on the door and wiggled the handle, startling her. "Open the door, please."

"Hold on," Aria croaked, rapidly wiping the tears from her cheeks.

She fanned her eyes as she walked to open the door, hoping that Ezra would either not notice or not mention the fact that she'd just been crying. Unfortunately, that was the first thing he said when he opened the door.

"You're crying. What happened?" He pushed her gently back into the room and shut the door behind them.

"It's nothing, Ezra," Aria lied unconvincingly.

"Aria," Ezra sat down on his bed and patted the spot next to him. "You don't cry at nothing. What's going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Aria puffed, plopping down next to him.

"Did Cassidy say something to you? She can be intense, I know," Ezra placed a hand on her knee, causing her to flinch involuntarily.

Noticing her reaction, Ezra instantly retracted his hand. "Aria."

She bit her lip and looked down at the floor. He deserved to know. It effected him too. But if she told him, he'd tell her not to comply with Liam's terms. He'd tell her he would resign because his heart was just too good and he wouldn't want to be selfish. He'd say he'd sacrifice his happiness for hers.

"Honey," Ezra tilted her chin up and forced her to look at him. "C'mon. Tell me so I can try to fix it."

"You can't," Aria shook her head. "You'd try to, but you can't."

"I don't understand," Ezra shook his head.

"Liam knows," Aria whispered, fresh tears falling down her cheeks. "He knows about us. And he's threatening to tell unless…" She didn't want to finish the sentence.

"Unless…" Ezra urged.

"Unless I do what he asks of me," Aria wept.

"What is asking of you?" The strain in Ezra's voice told Aria that he already had a pretty good idea of what Liam wanted.

"Here," Aria handed him her phone. "He texted me a few minutes ago."

She told Ezra her passcode a couple of weeks ago so that he could answer a text while she cooked them dinner. By the way he typed it in without a hitch, Aria knew he remembered it well.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aria watched Ezra's face contort with anger. "That son of a bitch!" He yelled, standing up and balling his fists like he was ready to punch something. "What gives him the idea that he can do this? That he can talk to you like this? I'm gonna fire that bastard come Monday morning. That is if I don't murder that sorry asshole first." He was pacing back and forth, his face turning red.

"Ezra, no," Aria intervened. "If you fire him, that's all the more reason for him to tell. Besides, he's got family connections with the company. They'd never let that pass."

"Aria, he is harassing you. He cannot keep a job because daddy says so. If he worked anywhere else, he'd be out on the street for this. That's what needs to happen here," Ezra seethed.

"He'll still tell HR about us!" Aria hissed.

"Then let him," Ezra threw his hands in the air. "I don't give a shit. I'm not going to let you be degraded by him so that I can keep my job. You mean more to me than that!"

There is was. The beginning of Ezra's selfless tirade. She wasn't going to win this fight. No matter what she said, Ezra was going to counter it by offering his head on the chopping block. Being 25, Aria could take this kind of hit. She could bounce back into the world of journalism and editing. It was okay if she started at the bottom again. At 33, Ezra was above being anyone's gopher. He was above being some other editor-in-chief's bitch. He deserved to be on top. Not after he waited so long to get that kind of job and live his dream. If he allowed them to get in the way of his well being, he'd being screwing himself over. And he'd resent her in the long run. She couldn't let that happen.

"Well you don't mean that to me," The words were poison on her tongue.

"What?" Ezra looked like he'd just been punched in the stomach.

"What were we thinking? Getting into a relationship? We both knew it'd come to this. I don't want to lose you, Ezra, but I don't want to lose my job more," Aria lied. "I can survive a broken heart for a couple of months. I can't survive not being able to pay rent. I can't survive living on the street."

"You can move in with me," Ezra said softly. "I've got a trust fund. I'm not supposed to touch it until I'm 50 but I'm sure I can tap into it somehow and support the both of us while we look for jobs."

Her heart broke even more than it already had. He was willing to financially support her if it came down to it, and she was telling him that she was ready to walk away from them.

"I don't want another job," Aria willed her voice not to crack. "I love Rockstream."

"Yeah, and you said you loved me," Ezra's eyes became glassy with tears.

"I have a warped sense of what love is. I told you that a long time ago," Aria sniffed. "I…I think I'm just in lust with you." That wasn't true in the slightest. Aria knew she loved Ezra more than she'd loved any other man in her life. She saw a future with him. She wanted to love him forever. Yet here she was, telling him she didn't really care about him for his sake. She'd rather him hate her now than in ten years when he's being screamed at by an editor of a dying newspaper. What was the saying? If you love something, let it go.

"Could've fooled me," Ezra shoved his hands into his pockets. Tears were now swimming down the crevices of the sweet face she had kissed so many times.

"I'm not going to send Liam any pictures," Aria announced. "But we are breaking up. I need to keep my job. And I bet you want to keep yours. You're just too stubborn to admit it." Her words came out in front of harsh air. It seemed like she was angry with him. Really, she was just angry with herself. "Goodbye, Ezra."

Aria pushed past him, blinking back tears.

"Mr. Fitz," Ezra spat.

"What?" Aria stopped, but didn't turn around.

"You can't call me Ezra anymore, Ms. Montgomery," His words were like a knife to her heart.

"Right," Aria sighed. "Goodbye…Mr. Fitz."

 **A/N: Don't worry, I hate myself as much as you hate me right now, haha. But hey, at least Aria didn't cheat! So Aria told Ezra about Liam's threat and then** ** _that_** **happened. Do you guys agree with Aria's decision to put Ezra's long term happiness and security in front of what they both wanted in the moment? How do you think Liam will react to them breaking up? And what do you think is next for the couple-no-more? As always, please let me know by reviewing! Thanks for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	17. Chapter 17

"Aria please, answer your phone. If you don't want to talk to me, I get it, but at least answer my texts. Let me know you're alright. It's been a week and I'm getting worried. I…I love you. Bye."

As Ezra ended his 51st call to Aria's phone since the week began, he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Maybe she wasn't coming back at all. Maybe she was complacent leaving things messy and not getting full closure. Maybe the night they broke up was the last time he'd ever see her in person. It killed him to think so pessimistically about a girl that brought him so much joy just seven days ago, but he wasn't being over dramatic about the situation. Aria had been M.I.A all week. She hadn't shown up for work, hadn't called in sick. When Ezra had gone to her apartment the day following the breakup to try to convince her to rethink her decision, she didn't answer the door. Ezra talked to the doorman of her building and was told that she hadn't been in or out of the building since she left for Ezra's party when everything was still good between them. Like a ghost, Aria had disappeared.

Ezra knew that Aria was a fly at risk. She didn't like to be backed into a corner and often made rash decisions under pressure. He hoped to God that her breaking things off between them was just another one of her poorly thought out plans. Maybe Aria was trying to protect him and secure his job. Maybe she thought that if she told him that she didn't love him, Ezra wouldn't argue and beg her to stay with him. Maybe her taking off without a trace was her way of letting him down gently. As much as Ezra longed to see Aria's delicate face, he knew it would also physically pain him to be in her presence.

Everything in him wanted to believe that Aria loved him, despite her claiming she didn't. What they had was arguably the realest, most passionate and right thing Ezra had ever experienced in his life. And though he hadn't really given it much thought before, after Lane asked if they were going to get married, Ezra found himself zoning out periodically throughout the night and thinking about the kind of life he and Aria could have ten, twenty years down the road. Three months into a relationship may be too early to determine if you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, but Ezra certainly didn't mind entertaining the thought. He loved her more than anything, and he really thought she had loved him too. The way she looked at him, the way she touched on him, the way she told him everything about herself with such conviction, the way she listened so intently to anything he said. How could she have been faking those things? How could she have been putting on this act, this show where she was happy just being in his arms and talking until the sun came up, just to get sex? Aria wasn't a sneak and she wasn't a liar. She loved him. She had to.

But despite the evidence stacked in his favor, there was still a small inkling of doubt lingering in the back of his mind. If she really loved him, why didn't she fight for them? Why did she walk away the minute Liam threatened her? Ezra had offered up his artillery to help her fight the battle, but she refused. It was easier for her to walk away. Hadn't she been the one who declared that she knew their relationship wouldn't be easy, but it would be worth it? Wasn't she the one who pushed for them to get together even though they'd be breaking all of the rules? Didn't she say they were worth the risk? Where was that Aria now? The one with a 'fuck everyone but ourselves' attitude. The one with the drive and the will to keep them together. Ezra couldn't help but think that perhaps that girl never existed. Lust makes a person do and say crazy things…sometimes things they don't mean.

But Ezra didn't want to make bizarre assumptions. He was going to believe what he believed for the past three months until he heard otherwise from the horse's mouth…again, only this time when the horse had a clear head and was not reeling from being blackmailed. So instead of focusing on the 'what ifs', Ezra decided to be proactive. If and when Aria came back to Boston, the best way to convince her to give them another chance was to offer up a reasonable solution to their situation. Aria was afraid that Ezra was going to lose his job. But if Ezra already had another, just as good if not better job lined up at another company, then Aria would have no reason not to take him back. She could stay at Rockstream and Ezra could run another publishing company in another part of town. Problem solved.

However, the problem still remained unanswered. Ezra spent his lunch hours that week hunting for jobs. There were a couple of editor positions open at Rockstream's rival publisher, Caldwell and Press, but no editor-in-chief positions. So far the only place Ezra had been able to find such a prestigious job available was in Washington D.C., seven hours away. It was a bit discouraging, but Ezra made a silent vow to not stop looking until he found a job that would salvage his relationship.

Against his better judgment, Ezra found himself scrolling through the camera roll on his phone while he waited on a webpage that would display job listings to load. Because of their clandestine relationship, he didn't have a lot of photos of Aria, but he did have some. Most were candid's, ones she swore she looked ugly in. But of course in Ezra's eyes, she couldn't be ugly if she tried.

The most recent one he'd taken was snapped about four weeks ago, shortly after the anniversary of Katelyn's death. They had been laying in his bed one Saturday morning in their pajamas, watching TV. Aria kept complaining about how cold it was in the apartment. Ezra tried to hold her close to warm her up, but she kept pulling away. She wanted him to turn the heat up so that when she got up to make them breakfast she wouldn't turn into a popsicle. To get under Aria's skin, Ezra refused her request. They did that every so often, had little lighthearted skirmishes just to watch the other squirm. It was like a game to them. How long until the other person caved?

In order to cope with the cold, Aria had pulled all of the sheets and the comforter up past the tip of her nose and curled into a ball. It was the most adorable thing Ezra had ever seen. When he took out his phone to take the picture, Aria squealed and protested. She claimed that her hair was messy and that she had yesterday's makeup underneath her eyes. It was and she did. But that's why Ezra loved it so much. This was Aria in the morning. This was the Aria he had the privilege of waking up next to on the weekends. He asked her to smile, but she shook her head. She kept the sheets pulled up to her nose as he clicked the button to capture the memory. At first glance the picture just looks like she's staring at the lens of the camera, but Ezra never did just _glance_ at this photo. He studied it. And when he did, he learned that she actually had been smiling, he just couldn't see it. The crinkles around her eyes told him that she was grinning from ear to ear. He also saw that she wasn't looking at the camera. She was looking at him. Her eyes were soft and her pupils were dilated. When he'd taken that picture, she'd been in love.

Ezra sighed loudly as he locked his phone and turned his attention back to his computer screen. The page had loaded, displaying several mediocre jobs opportunities in and around Boston. It was nothing he hadn't already seen.

A sharp knock on his office door caused Ezra to quickly minimize the page and open up some Excel spreadsheet before clearing his throat and instructing the person to come in. As soon as the door opened, Ezra's body went rigid. He watched with narrow eyes as the last person he wanted to see, much less interact with at the moment waltzed from the doorway to the chairs in front of his desk and take a seat.

Neither of them spoke for a few long seconds. They just stared at one another. Ezra had successfully avoided Liam all week at the office, afraid that if they spoke even one word to each other, he'd knock him to the ground. Now, here he was, sitting in front of him with no sign of guilt on his face. He looked smug. Ezra could kill him for it.

"How many times did you fuck her on this desk?" Liam broke the silence with the crudest of questions.

"Mr. Green," Ezra warned.

"Come on, just estimate for me," Liam shrugged. "Once? Twice? Did she have to call you Mr. Fitz while you fucked her brains out? Because if it were me, that'd give me such a feeling of power and…"

"Mr. Green," Ezra hissed. "I will not let you come in here and talk to me this way."

"Cut the shit, Fitz," Liam rolled his eyes. "Stop being so formal. Lord knows you aren't with Aria."

"For God's sake Liam," Ezra cringed. "What the fuck is your problem?"

"There we go," Liam smirked. "That's the reaction I was waiting for."

"Is that all? Because if it is, I have work to do," Ezra turned back to his computer, hoping that Liam would get the hint and leave.

"That isn't all actually," Liam leaned forward. "Where is she?"

Ezra stiffened, "I don't know. I haven't seen her all week. Same as you, I presume."

"You don't know where your girlfriend is? What kind of boyfriend are you?" Liam laughed harshly.

"She isn't my girlfriend," The words burned his tongue. "We broke up, thanks to you. I'm sure that news makes you happy."

"You two broke up? When?" Liam sounded the furthest from concerned. He sounded like he was enjoying asking about such a touchy subject.

"Last week," Ezra cleared his throat. "The day you asked her to send you pictures of herself, which by the way is harassment. If Aria comes back and wants to bring that to light, you bet I'll have HR all over your sorry ass."

Liam snorted, "I don't think she'll be bringing that up, not when it would get her in just as much trouble."

"Those texts don't reveal our relationship," Ezra stated calmly.

"But they do reveal her body," A wicked glint appeared in Liam's eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Ezra's heart rate sped up. She said she wasn't going to send him the pictures. They broke up so that she could get out of the blackmail and save their jobs.

"She followed through on my requests," Liam grinned. "God, I missed seeing her naked. She's so hot, but of course, you know that just as well as I do."

"She said she wasn't going to send you anything," Ezra's voice shook with anger. Liam was lying. He had to be lying. He just wanted to get under Ezra's skin.

"I'm just as surprised as you are," Liam shrugged. "I didn't think she'd do it at all. And now that you say you broke up the day I asked her for the pictures…she really is a horny little slut, isn't she?"

"Why…why would she do that?" Ezra's vision blurred. He was seeing red.

"I don't know," Liam clucked his tongue. "Maybe she's looking for a little rebound sex and thought she'd start with someone she already knew. I'm telling you, the girl's a whore."

Ezra shook his head. Aria had been in tears that night. She didn't want to fulfill his wishes. In fact, Aria had made it clear several times that she wanted nothing to do with Liam at all. She hated him. What he was saying didn't make sense. She wouldn't do that. "I don't believe you. I know Aria and I know she would never do that."

"Wouldn't she?" Liam cocked his head to one side. "How well did you really know Aria? You were with her, what, a couple of months, max? I dated her for four years. _I_ know Aria. You knew the girl she wanted you to know. You knew the victim. The 'poor me, I'm always getting screwed over.' The girl who is never to blame. Well I knew the instigator. The one who thrives on conflict. The one who lies like it's her oxygen. I knew the snake with brown eyes."

"That's bullshit," Ezra spat. "Aria isn't like that. You're just bitter because you lost her." The taunt sounded childish, but it was all Ezra could think of. Why else would Liam so willingly spout out lies about a girl he once said he loved?

"I lost her?" Liam barked out a laugh. "She cheated on me! I let her go. The bitch had the audacity to cheat on me and then _blame_ me for ruining our relationship. She won't even own up to her mistake. She's the reason we aren't together anymore. She says I drove her to cheat. I didn't drive her to do anything. Poor choices and alcohol did. If I was as bad of a boyfriend as she claims, why didn't she just leave me? Why'd she have to go and fuck my best friend to get out of it?"

"She felt like she owed you!" The sentence slipped out of Ezra's mouth before she could stop it. But once it was out, he ran with it. "After she lost your baby, she felt like she owed you something."

"She told you about the baby?" Liam blinked. "Did she also tell you that she tried to have an abortion?"

"Yes," Ezra nodded.

"Did she tell you the reason she didn't go through with it?" Liam raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"The real reason? Not the bullshit one that she feeds everyone so they'll pity her and see her as a scared little girl who didn't know what else to do?" Liam grimaced at his memories.

"What are you talking about?" Ezra felt his head spinning like he'd had too much to drink.

"She tells everyone that she got scared. She says I wouldn't go with her to hold her hand. Blah, blah, blah. No, I didn't go with her because I was at work. I had no idea she even went. I told her to do whatever she wanted so we'd stop fighting. I knew she wanted an abortion. I'd braced myself for it. But she didn't even have the decency to tell me she went to the clinic that day. I guess she just planned on telling me she wasn't pregnant anymore when I came home that night. I found out because I got a call from the clinic telling me that she'd passed out before they could do the damn thing. She said that she saw all of the tools and her PTSD kicked in. I was happy it didn't happen, but I also felt bad, so I made sure to treat her gently those next few days. I took time off from work to be with her, but mostly to make sure that she didn't go back to the clinic without my knowledge. If she wanted to kill my baby, she should've at least let me be there. The whole time I was off with her, all she did was bitch about being pregnant. She wanted the baby out of her as soon as possible. She made another appointment with the clinic and asked me to go with her. But…she miscarried before she could go back. I don't even think she was that upset about it honestly," Liam's teeth were gritted in disgust as he spoke.

Ezra felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Aria had told him none of that. He actually thought she had wanted the baby after she got over the initial shock. At least that's the way she made it seem.

"PTSD?" Ezra had a lot of questions regarding Liam's story, but that was the one he wanted to ask first. "What the hell would she have post traumatic stress disorder from?"

Liam's eyes widened in the most sinister way. "She hasn't had an episode in front of you yet? Oh, buddy, you're in for a real treat." He laughed manically. "I would tell you, but I don't do the story justice. Just google Rosewood, Pennsylvania and look at what comes up. I assume she told you what she told me at first? She doesn't go back because she of that teacher she fucked for an A? I mean, yeah, that's one reason, but it's not the biggest reason. You'll see what I mean when you hit enter." Liam rose from the chair and began walking towards the door. "It's the top search result. It wasn't until I found out what happened in Rosewood that I started seeing her for what she truly is. A liar. She's really learned to paint herself as the victim. Like I said, she's a snake, not a saint. Maybe it's a good thing she left. I think you'll be thanking me in the long run. Enjoy." With that, Liam left the room.

Ezra couldn't move. He felt the sides brain being pulled in opposite directions. Did he believe the man who purposefully fucked up his relationship and made Aria's life miserable? Or did he believe the woman he loved and trusted with his life? The answer seemed simple enough when he asked it that way. But the thing was, if Liam was lying, he had just told a very elaborate and detailed lie, one that sounded too intricate to be false. And if he was right about Aria, it would make sense that she wouldn't tell him anything that would make her look like the bad guy. In hindsight, Aria was never to blame in any of her stories. She pursued the relationship with the teacher, but he took advantage of her. She wanted an abortion, but miscarried before she could, and even though Liam took care of her in the weeks leading up to her miscarriage while she just complained, he was the asshole. She cheated on Liam, but his reaction to it was irrational. Suddenly, Ezra didn't know who to believe.

In an attempt to clear this up, he turned to his computer and typed in just what Liam had asked him to. Rosewood, Pennsylvania.

The top search result was a news story from eight years ago. Underneath there was a short description with a couple of bolded words that made Ezra's blood stop in his veins. **Radley Sanitarium. Patient. Aria Rose Montgomery.**

Line Break

When the lunch break ended, Liam found himself back at his desk, staring at his phone screen with a wicked grin etched on his face. He had pulled up the "pictures" Aria had sent him. Well, correction. Picture. She'd only sent him one. And it hadn't been a nude like he'd told Ezra so confidently. No, Aria was fully clothed in the photo and she didn't look very happy. She was wearing an old Rosewood High School gym shirt and appeared to be standing in an apartment he didn't recognize. She was glaring at the camera and holding up a polished middle finger. The caption attached read: _Have fun masturbating to this, asshole._ Feisty little one, she was.

Liam laughed. She had sent the picture to tell him she wasn't going to play his little game, but had no idea the can of worms she'd opened by doing so. Poor Aria had a lot of explaining to do when she got back to Boston.

 **A/N: Happy Easter! The plot thickens, haha. So first of all, where do you think Aria is? She won't go home to Rosewood, so that's out of the question. Where else would she go? And what do you think about Liam's side of the story? He lied about the pictures, but do you think he's lying about anything else? And what about what Ezra found online? What do you think is the story there? Hope you guys liked this chapter and don't want to kill me too badly. Please let me know your thoughts by reviewing! I loved seeing you guys react to the last chapter. It actually motivated me to upload today. So review away! Thanks for reading!**

 **Side note: I am home from the hospital!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	18. Chapter 18

"Aria please, answer your phone. If you don't want to talk to me, I get it, but at least answer my texts. Let me know you're alright. It's been a week and I'm getting worried. I…I love you. Bye."

That was it. That was the last voicemail Ezra had left her. Fifty-one phone calls and over one hundred unanswered texts later, he'd given up. Her phone hadn't made a sound since noon. The silence was eerie. The device had been going off every hour or so since Aria had walked out on Ezra and suddenly it just…stopped. What once was an annoyingly consistent sound had ceased to exist. Now, the only sounds that were heard throughout the lavish apartment she'd crashed in were doors creaking when they opened and shut and the cast of 'Friends' laughing on TV. Aria wasn't sure how to feel about the change.

She'd been ignoring him on purpose. You can't exactly get over someone if you are in constant contact with them. That's also the reason she left. She needed to give Ezra some space; space he wouldn't have wanted to have otherwise. In Aria's mind, shutting Ezra out was the best thing she could do for him at the moment. At first, it took everything she had in her not to answer his calls or respond to his texts. It broke her heart a million times over to watch his name and face pop up on her screen over and over and not be able to hear his voice that was waiting on the other end of the receiver. With tears in her eyes, she'd watch the call go through and a new voicemail notification show up on the screen. She didn't listen to them. And she didn't read his texts. Until now.

She caved. When the calls stopped coming in, Aria had gotten worried. Ironic right? But she couldn't find the nerve to text _him_ to make sure he was okay. She wasn't sure how to say, "Hey, you've stopped calling and texting me, are you okay? I mean, I know I've been ignoring you for the past week and haven't even had the decency to tell you that I'm safe, basically saying that I no longer care about you. But it appears that you've suddenly stopped caring for me and that, sir, isn't okay. I want your attention even though I'm willing to give none of mine to you. And I want you to want me even though I'm trying to pretend I don't want you. And because you were so consistent about wanting to make sure I'm alive and well, I just wanted to make sure that you're still alive and well and something horrible didn't happen to you to make you stop calling. But of course, something probably did, because why else would you give up? It's not like what I'm doing is totally unfair to you," without sounding like a hypocritical bitch. So Aria just decided to indulge herself into Ezra's failed attempts to reach her instead.

She started with the unread texts. Some of them were long, confessions of his love for her and him begging her to come back so they could work things out. He offered up solutions to handling the Liam situation, some of them so ridiculous that they made Aria laugh despite herself. Others were short, her name followed by a question mark and brief 'where are you' messages. The time stamps on the texts ranged from two and three in the morning, to four in the afternoon, to midnight. Aria could picture Ezra sitting up in his bed, staring at his phone screen with glassy eyes as he willed her to reply. As a response to her mental image, Aria felt tears well up in her eyes. He didn't deserve this.

When she began listening to his voicemails, the tears flowed out hard and fast. He sounded so broken and desperate to talk to her. Like the texts, some were long, some were short. There were a few that his monologue was cut off by the machine and a couple where he just sighed heavily and then hung up. Those messages aside, he always ended the others by telling her that he loved her. All Aria wanted to do was tell him that she loved him too.

The sound of the front door opening alerted Aria that her gracious host and renter of the apartment was home from work. Wiping the water from her eyes, Aria rose from her spot on the guest bed and padded out of the room. She watched silently as her best friend, Spencer Hastings, threw her keys onto the kitchen counter and removed her bag from her shoulder. She looked lost in thought, like her mind was still at work although her body was at home. Aria could see the wheels turning in her friend's brain and figured it was unlikely that Spencer would break herself of her trance without a little coaxing from her. It was typical of Spencer to get into head spaces like this; ones where no one else existed while she worked something out in her mind. Back in high school, Aria learned that when Spencer got like this, it was easier to interrupt the process than to sit back and wait for it to be over before starting a conversation. And right now, Aria certainly didn't want to wait.

"How was your day?" Aria's voice cracked awkwardly.

Spencer blinked, processing the question with a blank stare. Her face softened once it finally registered. "By the looks of it, better than yours," She stepped closer to Aria and opened her arms, ready to envelope the small girl in a hug. "You've been crying. What happened? Did you talk to Ezra? Is it Liam?"

The night that Aria broke up with Ezra, she got into her car and didn't stop driving until she made it to DC. She called Spencer when she was about an hour from her apartment and asked if she could crash there for awhile, saying she'd explain everything once she got there. Like the amazing friend she was, Spencer said yes without any hesitation. When Aria arrived, Spencer had ushered her inside and immediately brewed coffee for the both of them. The two girls sat down on the couch at exactly 6:31 am. Spencer listened to Aria vent until 8:46. Just like she'd promised, Aria explained _everything_. She told her friend how the relationship started, how it ended, and about all the blissful moments in between. She told her about Liam and listened as Spencer came up with the perfect, snarky reply for his request. And she told her about the impromptu decision to drive to DC with nothing but the clothes on her back. At that revelation, Spencer offered to share her wardrobe, toiletries minus toothbrushes and razors, and pillows with the destitute girl. Spencer's kindness was like a band-aide on Aria's crumbling heart. She knew that she had made the right choice by coming to her best friend in her time of need.

Aria shook her head, "None of the above. I was just going through all of the texts and voicemails from him that I've been ignoring. My heart broke so many times over that I'm not sure that I have one anymore." She wrapped her arms around Spencer's waist and rested her head on her should.

"Did you call him back?" Spencer asked as she rubbed Aria's back sympathetically.

"No," Aria pulled away slowly. "I don't know what to say."

"Text him and tell him you're alright. That's all you need to do," Spencer shrugged.

"I can't," Aria said melodramatically.

"Then give me your phone and I'll do it for you," Spencer held out her hand like a mother confiscating her daughter's phone.

"No," Aria put her hand over her pocket protectively. "If I respond at all, _I_ should be the one responding." Her eyes flickered over to Spencer's full wine rack, "Maybe a little liquid courage will help."

Spencer rolled her eyes and turned to watch Aria begin to raid her cabinets for wine glasses. "Yeah, get drunk and then text him. That always works out well for everyone ever." Her words were laced with sarcasm.

"I'm not going to get drunk," Aria sing songed. "I'm going to get not-completely-sobered. And you are too. I can tell you had a long day at work. Relax. Unwind." She pulled two glasses from a cupboard and set them on the counter as if it were her own home. She brought her finger up to her lip and tapped on it firmly while her eyes grazed over the wide selection of spiked grape juice.

"You sound like an alcoholic," Spencer laughed.

Aria tensed, "Don't joke about that. Please. Okay? It's a real problem for some people, not a joke." She wasn't facing her friend, but she could practically feel the smirk fall from Spencer's lips.

"I'm sorry," Spencer quickly apologized. "Of course it's a real issue. I didn't mean it like…Aria, when did that become a touchy subject for you?"

Aria bit her lip. She wasn't dating Ezra anymore, but that didn't give her the right to air his dirty laundry. But…if Spencer was genuinely concerned, was it really "airing" it? Maybe it was more like "sharing it in a safe environment." Slowly, she turned to face her friend. "Ezra…he used to have a drinking problem. It was years before we met, but yeah, he was an alcoholic."

Spencer furrowed her brow, "Oh God, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Not a lot of people do," Aria shrugged. "It's not something you'd guess from looking at him. He looks so clean cut and perfect. It's like he leads this flawless lifestyle."

"What made him realize he needed help?" Spencer cocked her head. "I mean, I'm assuming he got help since he's not one anymore."

"His drinking became a problem during his marriage," Aria turned back to uncork a bottle of merlot as she explained. "He and his wife, Katelyn, got into a big fight one day. She called him out on his drinking and he stormed out. When he came back the next day, Katelyn had left him. A few hours later, she was hit by a drunk driver and died. He blames himself for her death. He won't even touch alcohol now." It felt weird repeating that story to someone. She'd repeated it silently to herself multiple times since he'd told her whenever she was trying to convince herself to open up to him. If he could tell her about his drinking problem, surely she could tell him about her… problems.

"That poor man," Spencer appeared at Aria's side to retrieve her glass of wine. "I can't imagine losing someone I loved like that."

"Yeah," Aria brought her drink to her lips and took a long sip. "Hearing Ezra tell the story is absolutely heart breaking. He claims he wasn't _in love_ with her at the end. Things had been bad between them for a long time. But, he did love her. And I know he always will."

"Does that bother you?" Spencer began walking towards the living room to take a seat, signaling Aria to follow.

Aria shook her head even though Spencer wasn't looking at her to see it. "No. She's gone. She isn't coming back. It's not like I have to compete with her. And I know Ezra really loves me. Really loved me. Really loves me? I don't know."

"Loves," Spencer took a seat in the middle of her couch. "He loves you still. No one blows up your phone like he if they don't love you."

"He hasn't called since noon," Aria pointed out flatly.

"Okay, so he hasn't called in six hours. No one falls out of love that quick," Spencer assured her with a hint of amusement in her tone.

Aria nodded slowly. She knew that was true. She certainly hadn't fallen out of love with him as quickly as she led him to believe.

"How much did he know?" Spencer raised on eyebrow. "About you?"

Aria cast her eyes on the floor. Here it was. An opportunity for Spencer to give Aria her famous 'look'. She'd surprisingly avoided receiving it the whole time she was there, even though she expected to get it after revealing she had been dating her boss and after she'd said that she'd slept with Ezra on a whim before they were officially dating. Both of those confessions only earned her a look of astonishment. _This_ confession would bring out the look Aria hated the most, the look of disappointment. "I told him a lot about my relationship with Liam. You know, I told him about the baby and the miscarriage and the cheating. I told him about Noah…Mr. Ivy and how I earned my grades in English sophomore year."

The inflection of Aria's voice led Spencer to believe there was more, but she didn't continue. "Anything else?"

"No," Aria muttered.

"No?" Spencer parroted. "You told him nothing else?"

"I mean, he knew my favorite colors and my opinion on religion and all that shit, but I figured you meant how much of the bad stuff did he know," Aria snapped.

"I did," Spencer confirmed. "But you seriously told him nothing else?"

"No," Aria picked at her nails to avoid looking at the dumbfounded brunette.

"Aria!" Spencer shrieked. Aria didn't have to look up to know she was getting 'the look'. She could feel Spencer's eyes burning her skin. It made her itch. "He told you about his alcoholism and you didn't tell him about…"

"No, I didn't," Aria cut Spencer off. "I never found the right time. When he told me about his drinking, he was mourning Katelyn's death. It was the day before the anniversary. I wasn't about to turn the situation around and make it about me."

"What about when you told him about the baby? Or Noah? You couldn't tell him then?" Spencer hissed, folding her arms across her chest.

Aria smiled in annoyance and rolled her eyes, "He doesn't even know the whole story about my miscarriage! I couldn't bring myself to tell him everything. He wanted kids so bad with Katelyn and it didn't happen. Katelyn was infertile. How could I tell him that I hated that baby with everything in me back then? How could I tell him that I was happy about the miscarriage? What kind of sick person is happy about something like that?" She barked out a laugh. "Oh right, someone who is literally a _sick_ person." Aria brought her hand up next to her head and made the universally recognized motion for 'crazy'.

Spencer grabbed her hand and yanked it down, "Hey, for someone who is so sensitive about the word 'alcoholic', I think you'd be sensitive to gestures like that. Especially when they relate to you _and_ me. You weren't the only one in Radley, Aria."

"Yeah, but I'm the only one who's permanently fucked up." Suddenly, Aria was in tears again. She hated talking about this. That's why she didn't. That's why Ezra didn't know. Well that, and she was pretty sure that if she told him, he'd never look at her the same way again.

"You aren't fucked up," Spencer shook her head rapidly. "You're scarred, but that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"That's easy for you to say," Aria sniffed. "You rarely have symptoms of PTSD anymore. Hanna and Em don't either. I'm the only one who still has regular panic attacks, regular night terrors, and intermittent insomnia. I'm the only one who still can't remember everything because I've blocked parts of our abduction out. I'm the only one who still feels cold and numb 99% of the time." Aria wiped a tear away with her thumb.

"Did you ever have an episode in front of Ezra?" Spencer cooed.

"No, thank God," Aria sighed. "That's how I got away with not telling him about what happened in Rosewood. He doesn't know about my…conditions."

"He deserves to," Spencer said plainly.

"Well it doesn't matter now, does it? We're over," Aria placed her head in her hands. "If life was my 99%, the thing that made me panic and feel nothing, Ezra was my 1%. He made me feel warm and loved and safe. He was my break from my mind and my past. And I fucked that up. I made a rash decision and fucked it all up. Now I'm back to my 99%."

There's a saying that compares a lover to a bridge. It talks about driving in the rain and having the raindrops pound down on the car with great force. Then the car is driven under a bridge and for a brief second the rain stops hitting the roof. It's silent and calm. But when the car comes out on the other side of the bridge, the rain seems to be coming down even harder. The author of that saying tells their lover "you were my bridge." Ezra was Aria's bridge. Before him, she was partying all the time, getting wasted and sleeping with strangers. Before Ezra, Aria was still reeling from her relationship with Liam. Before Ezra, she didn't know what it felt like to have someone wholeheartedly love her and be there for her no matter what she did or what happened. Before Ezra, Aria had panic attacks whenever something went wrong because she didn't have someone who was willing to be strong for her. When Ezra had offered to tap into his trust fund to support them, Aria almost caved. She almost gave up her plan to leave. No man had ever been so selfless for her. And Aria knew that once she got rid of the man who'd do anything for her, everything she'd been dealing with before would come crashing back down on her. The minute she'd walked out of his apartment, she felt crushed under the weight of the world. She couldn't breathe. The only thing that kept her from having a panic attack was keeping her mind focused on the road. Maybe that's why she drove all the way to DC. Suddenly, it took seven hours for her mind to calm down instead of it only taking one of Ezra's strong hugs. Suddenly, everything was worse than before.

Spencer sighed, but didn't say anything. If they talked about it anymore, they'd have to start going in to details about what had actually happened to them, and neither of them were ever in the mood to do that, no matter how much wine they drank.

It wasn't until Aria finished her glass that she spoke again. "I need to go back to Boston."

"When?" Spencer asked absentmindedly.

"I'll head back tomorrow. Go back to work on Monday. Hand in my resignation," Aria stated her plan aloud for the first time.

"You're going to resign?" Spencer widened her eyes.

"I don't want to lose Ezra," Aria declared. "If I resign, we can stay together. I just have to walk in and tell him that I'm quitting and leave before he has the chance to protest. Then I'll call him and arrange a meeting and I'm going to tell him the truth…about everything."

"Good," Spencer gave her a half smile. "What are you going to do about Liam? Do you think he'll still want to talk to HR?"

Aria shrugged, "If he hasn't done so by now, I don't think he will. But honestly, I don't give a shit. Resigning my not only save my relationship, but it will get me the hell away from Liam forever."

Spencer laughed lightly, "You deserve to be rid of him. He's horrible."

"Tell me about it," Aria scoffed, then reached into her back pocket. "I think I'm going to give Ezra a call. Let him know I'm okay."

"Good idea," Spencer touched Aria's arm gently. "I'll give you some privacy."

Aria watched as her friend stood up and shuffled back into her bedroom before unlocking her phone and selecting Ezra's contact.

As the phone rang, Aria's heart beat wildly in her chest. What if he answered? Did she want that? Did she want to get his voicemail? What would be worse?

After six rings, Ezra's voice filled her ear. "Hey, this is Ezra Fitz. I can't come to the phone right now. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks." _Beep._

"Ezra, hi," Aria's voice shook. "It's me. I'm sorry I haven't been answering your calls. I've been…" She wanted to lie and say 'busy' but stopped herself. He knew she wasn't busy. "I've been giving myself space. I'm sorry. I know you're worried, but I'm okay. Physically at least. I'm in DC with my friend, Spencer. I'm coming home soon though. I'll be back to work on Monday. I guess…I guess I'll see you then. I…love you. Bye."

 **A/N: Sorry it took awhile to update. I've had a ton of makeup work and a little bit of writer's block when it came to this chapter. I wanted a scene between Spencer and Aria so that I could give you guys some insight to what the last chapter revealed (the sanitarium and Aria being a patient) but it giving you all of the details in this chapter wasn't working. So you guys will learn the** ** _whole_** **story in the next chapter. Anyways, it's clear that Aria still loves Ezra, but Aria also made it clear that she was afraid of what Ezra would think once he finds out about what happened to her in Rosewood. How do you guys think Ezra will react? Let me know your thoughts on this chapter by reviewing. Your reviews on the last chapter were amazing! Thank you guys so much for your interest in this story. It continuously overwhelms me. Thanks for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	19. Chapter 19

"And now tonight, an amber alert has been issued for four Rosewood teens: Emily Fields, Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, and Aria Montgomery. The girls were last seen outside of a The Brew, a popular coffee shop next to Rosewood Methodist Church. Witnesses say they saw the girls get into a black SUV after chatting with the driver for a brief moment at about five o'clock yesterday evening. If you have any information on their whereabouts, please call Crime Stopper at 1-800-252-8654." _FOX News._

"And in other news, the Rosewood teens who disappeared about two weeks ago have yet to be found, but detectives think they may be hot on the kidnapper's trail. Each girls' phone records show them receiving threatening text messages from a blocked number over the past couple of months. The threats ranged from things like 'You played with fire, now it's time to get burned,' to 'Watch your back. You're next.' The last text the girls were sent before their disappearance read, 'Want to end this? Let's play a game. If you survive, you win.' All the texts were signed with the letter A. Some believe it is meant to be a taunt referring to Alison DiLaurentis, a friend of the victims, who was murdered just over a year ago in this very town. Their parents say they had no knowledge of the harassment." _CNN._

"Breaking news tonight coming from the town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania. The four teenaged girls who have been missing for the past month have just been found in a bunker about ten miles from the city limit." _Philadelphia Evening News._

"Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, Emily Fields, and Hanna Marin were found earlier by a few campers who saw smoke billowing from what appears to be a ventilation system for an underground bunker. Campers called the park rangers, who then immediately called 9-1-1. Authorities believe that one of the four girls set a fire inside the bunker. They are hesitant to say whether or not the fire was an attempt to escape or an attempt to take her own life. Either way, that fire was the catalyst for a rescue that reunited four girls with their families." _Rosewood Tonight._

"No one has been charged with the kidnapping and battery of those four Rosewood teens, but police assure that they have many leads and are narrowing in on a suspect." _FOX News._

"I'm live from the Radley Sanitarium where Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, Hanna Marin, and Emily Fields have been admitted to receive treatment for PTSD." Rosewood Tonight.

"A break in the Rosewood abduction case has the small town stirring in anticipation. This morning, a young man and fellow classmate of the victims, Wren Kingston, turned himself in to the police. He claims to have been a part of the abduction and torture, but also states that he was not alone. He has named two accomplices, Mona Vanderwaal and Charlotte Drake. Miss Vanderwaal also attended school with the girls. Miss Drake graduated the year before Alison DiLaurentis was killed, but is believed to have been close to the group of friends. Police are searching for the girls now, and have hopes to find them within the next few hours. There is no word yet on why Kingston and the others chose to carry out this crime. As soon as that information is released, we will inform you." _CNN._

"Three months after their abduction, Hanna Marin, Emily Fields, and Spencer Hastings are being released from the hospital to go home with their families. The three girls are healthy and are scheduled to go back to school next week, just in time to graduate. No statements have been released about the condition of the fourth girl, Aria Montgomery, and why she was not discharged with the others." _Rosewood Tonight._

"A court date has been set for the Rosewood abduction case. Wren Kingston, Mona Vanderwaal, and Charlotte Drake will be taking the stand on March 3rd, a little over one year since they committed their crime. Civilians are hopeful that each perpetrator will receive the maximum punishment for what they did to their victims. Hanna Marin and Spencer Hastings have been confirmed to testify in the trial. Officials have yet to hear from Emily Fields or Aria Montgomery." _Rosewood Tonight._

"The jury was selected for the Rosewood abduction case yesterday. The trial commences in two days and people are buzzing with anticipation. All four victims are back in town for the trial and have had to be placed under police protection due to the mass of individuals flocking them to hear their sides of the story. This is quickly becoming the biggest trial in Rosewood's history." _Philadelphia Evening News._

"It is day five of the trial and things seem to be coming to a close. Tales from the inside of the court are suggesting that each girl has shared their story, moving some members of the jury to tears. Nothing is confirmed, but some say that their stories include accounts of battery, mental, physical, and sexual abuse, binding and electrocution, and even demented make overs. Rumor has it that the girls as well as the defendants themselves are referring to the bunker as the 'dollhouse.' That word alone is enough to send chills down anyone's spine." _Rosewood Tonight._

"Seven days later and the trial has officially come to a close. The jury found all three defendants guilty. Wren Kingston, Mona Vanderwaal, and Charlotte Drake have been sentenced to 75 years in prison without parole. Members of the community are pleased with the outcome, although it is not known how the victims of this heinous crime are feeling. The girls are not talking to reporters at this time, but are said to be making a public statement within the next couple of days." _Rosewood Tonight._

"Breaking news. This morning, Charlotte Drake was found dead in her jail cell. Coroners are working to determine the cause of death, but have already confidently ruled out suicide. Police are looking into to her cell mates and her recent visitors, one of which was one of her victims, Aria Montgomery." _Rosewood Tonight._

Ezra had watched these news clips on YouTube religiously since Liam had talked to him in his office on Friday. All weekend he was hitting the replay button and listening intently as if each time was his first. And here he was, watching them again at work on Monday morning. Part of his obsession came from disbelief. This story had made national news a few years ago. How had he not heard about it? He watched the news every night, even back then. Why was none of this ringing a bell?

The other part of his obsession came from wanting answers. What _exactly_ had Aria endured? Why did that man and those two girls decide to torture them? Why didn't Aria go to the police when she started getting those threatening messages? Whose SUV had she gotten into before she disappeared and why?

At first, it seemed reasonable that Aria hadn't opened up about it to Ezra. They had only been together for three months. But she had dated Liam for four years. It was hard to believe that she never found a way to bring up a crucial, game changing, traumatic point in her life during that time. The more he thought about it, the more it annoyed Ezra to know that he may have never found this or anything else of extreme importance out had they stayed in a relationship. He could've married a girl that he thought he knew everything about, then found out years later that he only knew about one-fifth of her life. Maybe this abrupt break up had saved him from making a huge mistake. He didn't consider Aria a liar like Liam said she was, but he did consider her selfish. Ezra was willing to tell her everything, and he pretty much had, but Aria wasn't as willing to share. Things would have never worked out.

"Aria!" Ezra heard one of his employee's muffled cheers through his closed office door. His stomach turned. She said she'd be back today in the voicemail she'd left him. He'd had all weekend to prepare for her return, but now that it was happening, he wasn't sure what to do. Surely, she'd walk into his office. Try to offer up an explanation for her absence. And based off her "I love you" at the end of her last voice message, Ezra assumed she'd be offering up apologies and would want to try to mend the thing _she_ broke.

After listening to her voicemail, Ezra decided that he wasn't going to give in to her doe eyes and pouty lips. Secrets aside, Aria had left Ezra out high and dry. She had him worried sick for an entire week. She didn't have the decency to even shoot him a text to let him know that she was alright because _she needed time to think._ Once again, Aria had been selfish.

Their breakup had been a selfish act too, although Aria disguised it as a good deed for him. She wouldn't listen to Ezra's suggestions to save them. She didn't take into account how hurt he'd be when she declared she never loved him. She was selfish.

A soft knock on his door made Ezra's body go rigid. "Come in," He instructed with a strained voice as he closed out of his current tab on his laptop.

The door opened slowly. Clearly, Aria was as apprehensive about facing him again as he was about her. When she came into view, Ezra had to stop himself from audibly gasping. How was it that they'd both spent the past week in Emotional Hell, yet Aria still managed to look as beautiful as ever? He'd expected her to look tired, drained, and maybe even a little puffy-eyed from crying. That's the way Ezra had looked all week last week. In a fleeting thought, Ezra wondered if maybe Liam was right. Maybe she was manipulative and a liar. Maybe it was easy for her to leave because she never really cared.

"Uh, hey…Ez- I mean, Mr. Fitz," Aria's lips twitched like she wanted to smile, but decided against it.

"Ms. Montgomery," Ezra nodded. "Welcome back." His tone was distant and cold.

"Thanks," Aria whispered, awkwardly rocking back onto her heels.

"You've missed quite a bit of work, but I assume one of the other PR reps can fill you in," Ezra wouldn't look back up at her. Instead, he fixed his eyes on his blank computer screen and waited for her to leave.

"Actually," Aria began, biting her lip. "I came in here to give you my two weeks. I'm quitting." Ezra saw her cringe at her own statement from the corner of his eye.

"Oh," Ezra still didn't look up. "I'm guessing that I shouldn't try to change your mind."

"No. You shouldn't," Aria shook her head.

"Okay…well," Ezra tapped his fingers on his desk. "Thank you for the notice. Now if you'll excuse me…"

"Wait, Mr…. Ezra," Aria abandoned formalities. "Can we talk about what happened…you know, between us?"

Ezra sighed. This is what he wanted to avoid. "I'm busy, Ms. Montgomery."

"Okay. Later tonight then?" She sounded hopeful.

"I'm going to be staying late," Ezra lied.

"I don't mind. I can wait," Aria offered up solutions. "I could come over around…"

"Aria," It was Ezra's turn to stop with the formalities. "No. I'm busy. I will continue to be busy into the night. And frankly, I don't want to see you right now. I need some time."

He could visibly see Aria's heart drop into her stomach. Her face paled and her breathing became heavier. She was about to cry. God, he hated seeing that. Not because it was annoying, but because it broke his heart, and right now, he didn't need his heart breaking any further. He needed to stand his ground. This was already hard enough.

"That's what I want to talk about," Aria muttered. "I don't want time. I'm quitting for us. So that we can go back to how things were." She gave a soft, watery smile.

"Well I do want time," His pride was talking before his heart had the chance to intervene. "And I'm not so sure that _I_ want to go back to how things were. You don't get to just decided what we do or don't do in this relationship. It takes two to tango."

"I…I thought you'd be happy about this," Aria squeaked, looking to the ground for comfort.

"Maybe I would've been a week ago, back when I thought you still loved me," Ezra huffed. "But I've had time to think and I'm not so sure that this is what I want anymore."

"I do still love you!" Aria shrieked loud enough for the whole office to hear.

"Lower your voice for God's sake," Ezra rolled his eyes. And if you do still love me, you certainly don't act like it. Not bothering to call to let me know that you were alright while you were away. Not telling me the whole truth about…well really, anything. That's not love. That's manipulation. That's selfishness."

"What are you talking about?" Aria crossed her arms over her chest. "I've told you everything." Ezra could see the panic rising in her eyes. She knew that he knew.

"Oh, so you told me about being kidnapped? You told me about being admitted to a psych ward? You told me about the trial you testified at? Because I don't remember having any of those conversations," Ezra laughed cynically.

Aria's eyes widened. "Wh…what? How did you…"

"Find out? It doesn't matter. I should've found out from you. I thought we were the kind of people who told each things but apparently we aren't," Ezra hissed. "Shit, I told you about my alcoholism and you just nodded like you didn't have any secrets of your own."

"You were mourning Katelyn when you told me that!" Aria retorted. "That wasn't the time to bring my baggage up."

"What about when you told me about that teacher you slept with? Or the baby you miscarried? Which by the way, Liam informed me that you were happy about losing it. Funny, because you had me believing differently," Ezra gritted his teeth. The more he talked about it out loud, the angrier he became. His judgment was starting to cloud, but he didn't care.

"Why were you talking to Liam about me?" Aria spat out her ex's name like it was poison.

"It doesn't matter. Point is, you should've told me those things, but you didn't," Ezra shrugged. "I'm starting to believe what you said to me that night you left. You don't love me. You couldn't. Not if you were holding so much back."

Aria smirked ruefully, "What are you really mad at me for? Are you mad because I left you? Or are you upset that I didn't tell you that I was kidnapped, raped, and tortured in high school?"

The word 'raped' made Ezra's skin crawl, but suddenly, an old confusion of his made sense. Before they started dating, when he'd given her the manuscript to read and the whole Austin Walker disaster happened, Ezra asked Aria if she wanted to get the police involved in her New Year's Eve affair. Mr. Walker had taken advantage of a drunk Aria and raped her while she was under the influence, however, Aria was adamant about just letting it go. It seemed so odd to him back then. How could she be so casual about something like that? Now he understood. She'd already sought out police involvement for something similar before. If she did it again, it might've triggered too many painful memories. For her, it was better to go numb to the situation than to risk a mental set back.

He pushed down his burst of concern and pity to return back to their fight. He wasn't going to let her win. Not after she'd stomped so harshly on his heart. "Both. But I think what I'm most upset about is the fact that _you_ were the one who pushed this relationship. _You_ were the one who persuaded me to take a risk and be with you. _You_ were the one advocating for overcoming any obstacle that got thrown our way _together._ But when things got tough, you ran off. It was so easy for you."

"It wasn't easy Ezra," Aria scoffed. "And I left for _you!_ I didn't want you to lose your dream job!"

"But you didn't take into consideration how leaving me, how telling me you didn't love me, would make me feel," Ezra pounded on his chest to emphasize his pain.

"I knew you'd hate me but…"

"Hate you? Aria, let me get one thing straight. I could never hate you. I could be extremely frustrated, angry, and outright done with you, but hate you? No," Ezra confessed.

"Done with me?" Aria's voice cracked and her eyes became glassy. "Like what, I'm a doll and you're finished playing with me?"

"No," Ezra clarified. "I'm done with your antics, with your selfishness. I already had one selfish woman in my life. I don't really need another."

"You're seriously comparing me to Katelyn right now?" Aria narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, I am," He shrugged. "You're acting like her. Huh, maybe you two aren't as different as I thought. I guess I have a type." He smirked despite himself.

Aria sucked in a deep breath, stalling to formulate a response. "You know, you can be a real jerk, Ezra."

"At least I'll admit to that," Ezra clucked his tongue.

"I…" She started. "I have work to do." Aria turned for the door abruptly.

"No you don't," Ezra called out.

"What?" Aria froze, her hand gripping the door knob so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"I want you to go home. You can come back tomorrow and finish out your time here, but right now, I want you for leave. I don't want you here. You don't have to clock out. I won't take today's pay away from you. So please, just do me a favor and get out," Ezra sighed. He knew it was a childish thing to do, making her leave because he'd be too distracted if she were around, but he needed to do it. He was angry, his judgment was clouded, and she was the reason. He'd never get anything done in her presence.

"Okay," Aria croaked.

Ezra watched as she turned the knob and walked out at record speed, noting how different she looked from when she had walked in. She'd left as he'd expected her to come. Tired, drained, and eyes puffy from crying.

Line break

Aria refused to let herself go until she was in the safety of her own car. As soon as she closed the driver's side door, she opened up the floodgates. Her shoulders shook, her chest heaved, her makeup streaked. Nothing about her was okay. He hated her, even if he claimed he didn't, it was obvious. She had gotten exactly what she'd wished for, but now she didn't know how to handle it. They'd only been together for three months. She didn't think this breakup would cause her this much pain. She felt like her insides were being ripped to shreds. Everything hurt. Her stomach churned. Her fingers shook. Her vision was blurry from tears. She felt like she'd just been hit by a truck.

In an attempt to distract herself, Aria started her car's engine and turned on the radio.

 _"_ _Happiness was just outside my window. I thought it's crash blowing eighty miles an hour. But happiness is a little more like knocking on your door, you just let it in."_

 _Flashback_

 _"_ _Happiness was just outside my window. I thought it's crash blowing eighty miles an hour. But happiness is a little more like knocking on your door, you just let it in."_

 _The music softly billowed from the stereo system in Ezra's apartment. He had been showing Aria all of his favorite songs over the past hour. She hadn't known most of them, so she was surprised when this one started playing over the speakers._

 _A smile crept onto her face, "Hey, I actually know this one." She looked up at her boyfriend, who had his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulder and was holding her close on the couch._

 _"_ _Good, then that means I'm not too old," Ezra laughed and pressed a kiss to her scalp._

 _"_ _This was one of my favorites back in high school," Aria remembered aloud. "I used to listen to it when I did homework or wrote."_

 _"_ _I'd love to read some of the things you used to write," Ezra rubbed her arm up and down._

 _"_ _No way," Aria giggled. "You're an editor. You'd rip them apart. Besides, I don't even know where any of my old journals are. Hopefully my mom burned them."_

 _"_ _Don't say that," Ezra shook his head. "And no I wouldn't. I read everything you come up with for the PR department. You're really talented and I bet you were back then too."_

 _"_ _Well thank you," Aria shifted to face him. "Maybe I'll talk to my mom and see if she can find them and send them to me."_

 _Ezra grinned and seized the opportunity she'd presented by facing him to kiss her lips. Just as she began to kiss back, Ezra retreated and stood up from his spot. He held out his hand and raised his eyebrows in anticipation, "Dance with me?"_

 _"_ _Wait really?" Aria's mouth fell open slightly. Cliché as it was, his gesture felt like a scene from an insanely cheesy chick flick that Aria secretly loved. The music lilting quietly throughout the apartment, the two of them being barefoot and in their pajamas, the way he was looking at her with such admiration and hopefulness. There was no way that that moment was real life. Aria half-expected someone to yell 'cut' right then and there._

 _"_ _Yes, really," Ezra extended his arm a little further._

 _"_ _Okay," Aria smiled widely, taking his hand in hers._

 _He pulled her up from the couch and brought her flush against his body. She rested her head on his chest and they began swaying slowly from side to side. At first they were silent, simply taking in the song and the way their breathing slowly started to coincide. But soon, Aria heard Ezra begin to hum. He bent his head down closer to her ear and began to sing: "Happiness, it's like the old man told me. Look for it and you'll never find it all. But let it go, live your life and leave it. Then one day, you'll wake you and she'll be home."_

 _It was off key, but it was perfect. He was perfect. And she was in love._

Aria slammed her fist against the power button, causing the song to stop abruptly. Of course _that's_ the song this radio station would decide to play right now. Of fucking course.

Taking a deep breath, Aria put her car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot quickly. She needed to get home. She needed to sleep. She needed to cuddle up with her dog, Jack, who'd been staying with Claire while Aria was away. She needed to down a bottle of wine. She needed to forget.

The lane dividers blurred together through Aria's tears. She blinked hard, trying to push them back, but failing. At the first stoplight, one block from Rockstream, Aria pulled down the driver's mirror and wiped her eyes vigorously, smearing her mascara and dampening her shirt sleeve. Great. She looked just as horrible as she felt.

When the light turned green, Aria flipped the mirror up and stepped on the gas. _Just a few more minutes and I'll be h-_

The sound of metal crushing against metal overpowered the voice inside of her head. Suddenly, everything in her body felt like it was on fire. She watched the world around her do a complete 360…or maybe it was her that had been tossed in a circle. Pieces of shattered glass came into her line of sight. Her purse, amongst other loose things in the car, began flying around in what felt like slow motion. Aria thought she heard someone scream, but it might've been her. She wasn't sure. The only thing she was sure of was that she was going to be hitting the ground at any moment and that it would probably hurt like hell, so she closed her eyes and braced for impact. The last thing she heard was the sound of her own bones cracking against the concrete followed by the shattering of her driver's side window. After that, everything was silent. Everything was dark.

 **A/N: So…that just happened. I've had this planned for a little while and now that I've finally written it, it feels surreal. This is the beginning of the end of the story. Only a few more chapters now. Sorry this took a week to update. Life kept getting in the way. I'm going to try to update on Sunday to make up for the long wait for this chapter. Also, reviews were kind of down last chapter and that was a bit…de-motivating (if that's a word, haha). So please, please, please review this chapter guys! A lot happened. First, surprise, the dollhouse happened. You found out the basic outline of what went down, but I promise you will find out more…but maybe not from Aria herself. Who knows? Let me know what you guys think happened to her in there. Also, a bit ironic, that Aria got into a wreck right after she and Ezra had a fight about selfishness. Seems a bit like déjà vu, don't you think? Please let me know your thoughts in the reviews! I love reading them. Thank you guys so much for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**

 **PS: if you guys ever want to talk to me, ask questions about the story and my plans for it, or suggest ideas for one-shots (with summer coming up I'm wanting to write more) feel free to PM me or send me a message on my tumblr derpwriter**


	20. Chapter 20

Hearing the swell of police sirens on the street from inside of Ezra's office wasn't uncommon. He heard them race past his window at least three of four times a day. Someone was always speeding; someone was always doing something they weren't supposed to. Hearing an ambulance blare its' sirens was slightly less usual, but not a rarity at all. A heart attack here, a minor accident there. Ezra had grown used to these incessant wailings interrupting his train of thought from time to time. But today was different. Today he heard both of them coming, but he never heard them pass. Ezra could hear them idling and screeching in the near distance, as if they were stopped by traffic or something worse.

It was annoying and a bit unsettling. Growing annoyed, Ezra rose from his desk and strode over to his office window to try to get a look at what was going on. Unfortunately, a column of brick jutted out just past his window, blocking his peripheral view. All he could see were the cars that were beginning to slow to a stop at the back of an already long line. If he had to take a guess, he figured there was a wreck at the nearest intersection.

He padded back over to his desk and plopped down in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. It wasn't even 10 am and he was already having a rough day. First his fight with Aria, now the distracting sound of sirens screaming not one block from his window. Ezra could feel a headache coming on and honestly, if it weren't for the traffic forming on the road, he'd probably pack up his things and call it a day. Like Aria, Ezra didn't need to be at the office either for his own sake.

In the back of his mind, he heard a whisper, a craving for something he hadn't had in years. _There's a bar within walking distance,_ a snake like voice cooed in the darkest depths of his brain. A drink would cure his headache; it would make him forget for a little while. He needed to relax.

"No," Ezra muttered aggressively. It had been three years since his last drop of alcohol. He wasn't going to let a little stress make him relapse. He wasn't going to let thoughts of _Aria_ cause him to throw away what he worked hard for.

Coffee. He needed coffee. Coffee solved everything.

Ezra huffed out an exasperated sigh as he pushed himself into a standing position and started for the door. He kept his eyes low, not wanting to interact with any of his employees and not wanting to allow himself to look at Aria's empty desk. But his plans failed when he ran smack into one of the other PR reps that Rockstream had, Olivia Shaw, who unfortunately shared a lot of the same physical features of Aria's. Dark hair that had been dyed a lighter color, a round face, hazel eyes, and a relatively short stature. Ezra hadn't ever acknowledged how much the two looked alike until now, although that could just be his emotional brain playing tricks on him.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry Ms. Shaw," Ezra apologized rapidly for nearly knocking the poor woman over.

"It's fine. My fault," Olivia shrugged. "Actually, it's kind of good that I ran into you. I need to talk to you."

"Can this wait?" Ezra asked automatically. He was immediately aware of how childish he was being. He was the editor-in-chief of this company and this woman's boss. Her needs came before his want for a cup of coffee to hush his demons and forget about his ex. "I'm sorry. Of course it can't. Go ahead."

"Uh, thanks," Olivia said, obviously confused by his sudden change of heart. "Can I get the number for that publisher in Braintree? I'm supposed to meet with him at 10."

Ezra furrowed his brow and glanced at the watch on his wrist. It was 9:45. "Ms. Shaw, you should've left about fifteen minutes ago. Why are you just now asking for this?" He tilted his head, signaling her to follow him into his office before turning on his heels and taking the lead.

"I did leave. Twenty minutes ago actually. But there's a horrible accident up the road and they've got all four lanes shut down. There must've been a fatality. It took me forever to get to a place where I could turn around and by the time I did, I knew I was going to be late, so I came back here to call him and let him know," Olivia explained quickly. "They've got a detour set up, but that's going to add another ten minutes to the commute."

Ezra nodded, showing that he understood that it wasn't her fault for running late, "Alright. Let me see…" He trailed off as he bent over his computer to search his files for the number.

"Have you heard what happened?" It was clear Olivia was talking to fill the awkward silence. Ezra had to fight the urge to roll his eyes and instead focus on blocking her out and finding this publisher's number. "I was pretty close, so I got a good look. I'm not exactly sure _what happened_ it looked like a car got t-boned. I think it was a smaller car, like a Prius or something, and one of those big Toyota Tundra's." Ezra's ears perked up. _Aria drove a Prius._ "The littler car was flipped onto its' roof and the front end of the Tundra was smashed clear through the driver's seat. There's glass everywhere on the street and I think that whoever was driving the Prius, whatever, was trapped inside the car because paramedics were on their knees surrounding that car the whole time I was stuck in the traffic. Man, I haven't ever seen an accident that bad."

Ezra clicked on a folder labeled BRAINTREE and stared at the contents, hoping that Olivia would perceive his concern to be about finding the number and not about the accident she was describing. "What, uh…what color was the Prius?" His voice wavered a little.

"Dark blue, but like I said, I don't know if it was a Prius. It looked like one, but I'm bad at identifying cars. The only reason I knew the truck was a Tundra was because my brother drives on just like it," Olivia picked at her nails, oblivious to Ezra's paling face and weakening knees.

"You said that there was a fatality?" His hands started to shake. _Aria drove a dark blue Prius. She had just left the office about half an hour ago, just before the sirens started. She would've had to cross that intersection to get to her apartment complex. It was her car._

"I'm not sure," Olivia moved on to picking at her hair. "But I'd be surprised if there wasn't. There was blood on the road and everything. It looked horrible. If the passengers in those cars survived, there's no way they won't be in critical condition."

Ezra found the number successfully, though he felt like he was about to pass out. "Uh, the number is on the screen. If you'll excuse me…" He stood up straight and all but ran out of the room. He made a beeline for the men's bathroom, trying not to collapse before he got there.

As he fumbled for an empty stall, Ezra felt bile rise in his throat. His stomach churned and his head spun, making his trek feel never ending. The second a door gave way to his touch, Ezra tumbled inside, locked the door, and fell to his knees. He barely lifted his head over the toilet in time before all of the contents of his stomach began coming out. His retching echoed off the bathroom walls, along with the sobs that he emitted in between. This was not happening. Not again.

 _Flashback_

 _Her car wasn't in the driveway, but that didn't stop Ezra from calling out for his wife when he entered their house._

 _"_ _Katelyn?"_

 _No answer._

 _"_ _Katelyn?"_

 _No answer._

 _He walked through the entry way to find an empty living room and silent kitchen. He paused, held his breath, and listened for any movement upstairs. The light knocks of a tip toe, the hush breathing of a woman who didn't want to be found, a flushing toilet or running shower. But he heard nothing._

 _Ezra made his way up the stairs and into their bedroom. The bed was made, but her pillow was gone. When he inspected their closet, he saw that some of her clothes were gone too._

 _In a foolish burst of hopefulness, Ezra made his way into what was going to be the nursery for their baby…if they ever had one. To his dismay, it was a barren as it always was._

 _His heart dropped. He was used to her leaving, but this time felt different. This time, it was like Ezra knew that she wasn't coming back. Only back then, Ezra thought 'not coming back' just meant they'd be getting a divorce. He was ignorant to the fact that what would really happen would be much worse._

 _He sulked back downstairs, yearning for a drink and for his wife. As he poured himself a glass of scotch, he dialed her number on his cell phone. He just needed to hear her voice one last time before a lawyer was serving them divorce papers. He needed to talk to her one last time before she stopped being his wife and became his ex._

 _Her phone went straight to voicemail. Ezra figured she'd turned it off or perhaps even went as far as to block his number. He shrugged, thinking he'd try again later, and downed his fresh glass of poison._

 _There had been a new episode of Breaking Bad on the night before that Ezra missed due to being blackout drunk at his friend's house. It was his and Katelyn's favorite show. The two used to curl up on the couch and watch it every week and vowed to never watch an episode without the other. However, Ezra realized that Katelyn had broken that promise when he pulled up his DVR list and only had the option to 'start over' instead of 'watch'. Rolling his eyes, Ezra selected the taunting option and leaned back to watch an episode without his wife for the first time._

 _It wasn't until Ezra was halfway through the show that he noticed a piece of paper sticking out from the frame of their wedding photo. He didn't know it then, but that piece of paper would be the last thing he'd ever get from her._

 _He unfolded the note with shaking hands and began to watch life as he knew it unfold around him._

 _Ezra,_

 _I'm not leaving you. I'm simply going to clear my head. What you did hurt me so much, but I think I understand. Our marriage hasn't been right for awhile now. A part of me thinks that maybe we weren't meant to be anything more than high school lovers. But the other part can't imagine my life without you in it. I want to keep you in my life. I want this to work. But I don't know if we can force it. We thought having kids would fix us, but clearly that isn't working. If anything, our failure to conceive is only driving us apart. And that isn't your fault. I'm the one who can't get pregnant. I know that you say you believe that what the doctors are doing will work, but your actions don't show it. I need some time away from you, from the disappointment of a negative test, and the rockiness of our marriage. I love you, please don't doubt that, but sometimes love isn't strong enough to hold together something that's this broken. Let me think for few days. And while I do that, I want you to think about us too. Think about your recent actions. Do you want this to work? I'll need an honest answer when I return, because I'll be prepared with one of my own. I hope that our answers match. I'll call you when I get to where I'm going._

 _Love,_

 _Katelyn Moore Fitz_

 _April 2_ _nd_ _, 2013_

 _The first emotion he experienced was anger._

 _"_ _Son of a bitch!"_

 _In a fit of rage, Ezra picked up their wedding photo and threw it clear across the room. The glass shattered, personifying Ezra's heart in that moment._

 _The second emotion he felt was guilt._

 _He ran over to the broken picture and began scraping up the broken shards into his hands, causing them to bleed. He shouldn't have done that. Katelyn was going to pissed when she got home. What if she wanted to work things out? Would seeing this broken photograph change her mind? She knew Ezra was prone to violent outbursts when he was drunk, but nothing had ever been that personal. Would this scare her off?_

 _The third emotion that ripped through him was nostalgia._

 _Despite the shrapnel surrounding the photo that seemed to symbolize the wreckage of their marriage, the photograph within the glass remained unscathed. The brief moment in time captured on that glossy paper could never be altered. Their unblinking eyes showed nothing but utter happiness. The way Ezra held Katelyn close reminded him that they used to be so in love that it hurt. They couldn't live without one another. The shimmer of their rings that had since faded told a story of new love and hopefulness. Back then, he had no idea how that that story would end so tragically._

 _The fourth emotion the overcame him was worry._

 _When had she written this? 2 o'clock that morning? 7 am? Noon? It was 6 o'clock in the evening. All of her friends lived within a couple of hours of Boston. Her family wasn't even half an hour away. She said she would call when she got to where she was going, yet her phone was turned off and he'd yet to hear from her._

 _Ezra spent the next two hours calling Katelyn over and over. Each time, all he got was her voicemail. He called her best friend, but received no answer. Same went with her parents. Either everyone was as pissed at Ezra as Katelyn was, or something more serious was going on._

 _Finally, in a turn of events, Ezra's phone began to ring at 9:02 that night. He would never forget that time._

 _It was Katelyn's father, James. He and Ezra had always been close, so Ezra didn't think much about the call when it first came through. In his mind, James was simply returning the call he'd missed earlier. But when he answered, he realized it was not so simple._

 _James was crying. Ezra's heart sped up. Something had happened to Katelyn. She was hurt._

 _"_ _James, you need to slow down," Ezra tried to calm her father, although he himself wasn't feeling too calm. "I can't understand you."_

 _"_ _Katelyn," James sniffed. "She…she was hit by a drunk driver. The paramedics…the paramedics say that she was…dead on arrival. She's gone Ezra. My little girl is gone. She…" James couldn't finish his sentence before he erupted into loud, uncontrollable sobs._

 _Ezra dropped the phone._

 _The fifth emotion that Ezra felt that night wasn't an emotion at all. He didn't feel anything. He was completely numb._

 _He dropped to his knees, missing landing on his phone by a centimeter, and tried to process the information._

 _Katelyn, his wife and high school sweetheart, was dead._

 _The girl whom he'd met in Mrs. Kelley's math class their sophomore year of high school was dead._

 _The girl that he'd had his first kiss with, his first time with, his first…everything with, was dead._

 _She would never have children. They would never start a family. She would never see her younger sister get married that upcoming fall. She would never get to experience the lights of London like she'd always wanted to. She'd never get to ride the Eye. She'd never get to go to the Louver in Paris. She'd never laugh or talk or smile again. She'd never take another picture, send another text, or make another phone call. She'd never take another breath._

 _Ezra wondered briefly what her last thought had been. Did she know she was about to get hit or had it been a surprise? Did it hurt? Did she die on impact or did it take a few minutes? Was she scared? Had she prayed in her last few seconds? Did her life flash before her eyes? If so, was she happy with what she saw?_

 _He didn't realize that tears had started rolling down his cheeks until his lips let out an involuntary wail. His limbs felt heavy. His heart felt like it being crushed by a weight stronger than he'd ever experienced. Her death was all his fault. He caused her to leave. If he had only been a better husband. If he had only been more sensitive to her feelings. If he had only stopped drinking. This was his fault. Her death was on his conscience and he doubted that would ever go away._

 _Ezra squeezed his eyes shut, milking the tears from his ducts, as his body started to shake. In an attempt to settle himself, he let his body collapse onto the floor entirely and curled into a ball._

 _He stayed there all night. He didn't move. He didn't pray. All he did was cry and whisper "I'm so sorry, Katelyn," over and over and over until his body began to succumb to sleep._

When the vomiting subsided, Ezra leaned back again the stall wall and searched for his phone in his pocket. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe it wasn't her.

He found he contact and hit call.

Straight to voicemail.

A soul crushing sense of déjà vu washed over him. He wasn't wrong. It was her.

Ezra rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm and drew in a deep breath. Maybe it was the hope that Aria was still alive or the fact that he'd been through this before, that allowed him to think more rationally instead of coming up with what ifs.

His first thought upon this realization was that Aria had absolutely no family in the Boston area. Her mother still lived in Rosewood and her father was God knows where. Her best friends were scattered all over the country and even thought Aria was close to that Claire girl, he doubted she was listed as an emergency contact on Aria's charts. She had no one.

Gripping the toilet and the wall, Ezra pulled himself up and unlocked the door. Crying at work would do neither him or Aria any good. He had to find out which hospital she was being taken to, dead or alive, and get there as soon as he could.

When he opened the door, Ezra saw Liam leaning against the wall, staring in his direction. He wasn't smirking. He wasn't enjoying hearing his boss cry. He didn't look smug. No, like Ezra, Liam looked pale and fragile.

"Olivia said you came in here," Liam muttered. "You know about Aria, don't you?"

Ezra nodded, unable to speak.

"I just got a call from Northwest Hospital. I guess…I guess I'm still listed as her emergency contact," Liam looked down at his shows as if he was guilty. It was like deep down he knew it should be Ezra, not him. "She's alive." He croaked. "But…but they don't have any other information at this time. Do you…do you want me to drive you to the hospital? You don't look like you're in the right state of mind to drive."

Ezra squinted. Liam was right. He wasn't okay to drive. He was so focused on Aria that he wouldn't be able to focus on the road. But Liam didn't do things for other people unless there was something in it for him. He always had an ulterior motive. "What's in it for you? Or are you just saying you'll drive me, but you'll really drop me in some alley on the other side of town?" Ezra growled.

"I'm going to take you to the hospital," Liam sighed. "And nothing is in it for me. Believe it or not, I really cared about Aria once. When I got the call…I couldn't believe it. My heart dropped to my stomach. We aren't even together anymore. Any love we had for one another is gone. I can't imagine what this must be like for you. I know this won't make up for the way I fucked up what you two had, but please, I feel like I at least owe it to Aria to get you there safely."

As out of character as this was, Ezra actually believed Liam. He was still an ass. He was still the lowest life form on planet Earth. But it was clear that this accident had thrown him for a loop. He knew what it was like to love Aria. He knew what it was like to lose Aria. Now he had to imagine what it'd be _really_ lose Aria. It was one thing to break up and see her every day; to know that she was out and about in the world, living and breathing. It was another to know she was gone and never coming back; to know her body was six feet under instead of positioned at a desk.

"Okay," Ezra mumbled. "Thank you."

Line Break

The ER nurses at Northwest Hospital informed Ezra that Aria had been taken to the OR.

The OR nurses informed Ezra that they couldn't tell him what was wrong with her, due to HIPPA laws, and that he'd have to wait for her to come out of surgery.

He waited six hours.

To pass the time, Ezra looked through his camera roll, much like he'd done when she was M.I.A for a week. He never thought he'd say this, but that was a simpler time.

He reminisced on the memories he'd captured in a photo; flirting just moments after sex, the silly faces she'd make to try to break his concentration when he brought his work home with him, the way she'd dance throughout the apartment when she was in a good mood. And those memories triggered others.

He remembered the face she made when he caused her to orgasm. He wasn't sure he'd seen anything so beautiful in his life. He recalled the way she looked in his t-shirts and boxers when she refused to where her own clothes. He thought about the earnest looks she gave him when he told her secrets, and when she told him hers.

He could practically hear the cracks in her voice as she told him about the teacher she slept with. He could see the tears in her eyes when she vocally relived her parent's messy divorce. Ezra remembered the way her hands shook when she mentioned what had happened to her in the dollhouse during their last conversation…oh God.

This was his fault. Just like it had been when Katelyn died. Ezra asked Aria to leave the office. He got so angry at her that he couldn't think straight. His last words to her had been, "…do me a favor and get out." She left thinking he hated her. But he didn't. He loved her. Ezra loved her more than anything. He'd just gotten mad. Stupidly and irrationally mad.

So what she didn't tell him about the dollhouse right away? It had been three months. Maybe she would've in the future, when she was more comfortable opening up to him. So what that she left him? She came back. She told him she loved him. And none of the shit he was angry about was as important as she was to him. None of it was as important as her life. Yet, Ezra made her risk that because he got mad.

 _Fuck._ He'd even compared her to Katelyn right before she left the office. They weren't alike. At least, they weren't alike as much as he made it seem. But God, they were now, huh? Morbid as the thought was, it was true.

"Mr. Fitz?" An OR nurse in pale blue scrubs walked through the swinging doors to his right, pulling off her mask as she spoke.

"Yes?" Ezra stood up abruptly.

"Aria is out of surgery. Everything went well. They are transporting her to the ICU now, if you'd like to see her. She probably won't wake up for a few more hours. The anesthesiologist had her heavily sedated and the doctor has started her on morphine to help reduce the pain level, and that has the tendency to make patients sleepy," The nurse drug on even though Ezra stopped listening at 'everything went well'. He was elated, although he knew this experience was far from over.

The nurse walked Ezra down a long, cold corridor, leading him to Aria. She used her badge to open up two metal doors, something Ezra made note of, knowing that he may not be allowed back in unescorted.

The doors swung open mechanically, revealing a bustling, circular unit. The nurses station was positioned in the middle of the floors, allowing them to see every room occupied by a patient. The patients' rooms had glass doors so that it was easy for the nurses to check up on them without having to enter the rooms. However, some views of the patients were obscured by thick, patterned curtains pulled almost completely across for privacy. Ezra assumed those patients were the healthiest of the unit since they didn't need constant attention.

A set of doors on the other side of the ICU opened, causing Ezra's heart to stop. A few nurses pulled a gurney with a young woman hooked up to multiple machines on top. All it took was a glimpse of the woman's blood stained, dyed-blonde hair for Ezra to know her identity.

"Aria," He whispered.

The nurse stopped Ezra from entering the room so that the nurses could get Aria situated and hooked up to the machines in the room uninterrupted. What probably only took three minutes felt like it took three hours.

When they finally left Aria and Ezra alone, Ezra found himself at a loss for what he should do. Should he just walk in and take a seat? Should he start practicing his apologies before she woke up? Was he allowed to kiss her…because he really wanted to? After a moment, Ezra decided that the first thing he should do is just walk into the room instead of standing in the hallway like a creep.

She looked like hell.

Ezra knew she'd look beat up, but he didn't expect this.

She'd be scarred, probably pretty badly in some places. Not that Ezra would love her any less or find her any less beautiful…it was just an observation. Aria's stunning hazel eyes were swollen shut and her small nose was black and blue. She had stitches on her temple and bruises on her cheek bones. Her lips were puffy and there was a deep gash in the lower one. Her left arm was in a sling and a couple of her fingers were taped together. Her right arm was wrapped from wrist to shoulder and spots of blood seeped through the bandage. Ezra assumed she'd gotten road burn. She had a bulky metal brace on her right leg that extended from her hip to just below her knee, and Ezra couldn't tell what exactly was broken or injured. Her left leg looked fine other than a couple of bruises and cuts. Ezra cringed when he thought about the injuries he couldn't see.

There was an IV in Aria's right hand that was pumping morphine and fluids into her veins. Looking at her current condition, Ezra could only imagine how much pain she'd be in when she woke up.

It was hard to think that just a few hours ago, Aria had been healthy and whole. The only thing that had hurt her back then was her heart…and that was his fault. Just like this was. He wished he could take it back. He wished he could've kept her safe. He wished he could've taken her place. But he let his anger get the best of him, just like he had with Katelyn. Suddenly, Ezra wasn't sure Aria would ever forgive him for what happened to her. And he wasn't so sure he'd forgive himself either.

Ezra pulled a chair from the corner of the room up to her bed and sat down. Cautiously, he reached his hand out and intertwined his fingers with hers as best he could. If she was going to hate him once she woke up, he wasn't going to waste the time he had while she was asleep dwelling on the fact. If this was the last time she'd allow him to touch her, he had to make the most of it.

Her hand felt warm. Ezra couldn't help but smile. She was alive. He trained his eyes on her chest and watched her breathe. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down.

"Thank you, God," He praised under his breath. She may hate him later. She may ask to never see him again. And as much as it hurt would hurt Ezra to abide be her wishes, he would do it because nothing could hurt as much as losing her to a cruel twist of fate would have.

He didn't know what was going to happen in a few hours when her eyes opened, just like he didn't know what was going to happen a few hours ago when she left the office. But whatever happened didn't matter. All the mattered was that her heart was beating…that she was going to be okay.

 **A/N: First of all, I want to say thank you guys for your wonderful reviews on my last chapter. They were all so sweet and motivating. Please come them coming with this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! So Aria's alive, not that big of a surprise, but what do you think will happen when she wakes up? Will she forgive Ezra or ask him to leave? What did you guys think of the Ezra/Katelyn flashback? Also, are you surprised that Liam offered to help? Next chapter you will find out what happened to Aria in the dollhouse, but maybe not in the way you think. I hope to upload the next chapter on Wednesday. Hold me to that promise by reviewing like crazy, haha! Thanks for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	21. Chapter 21

_Pain was the first thing she felt when she regained consciousness. A dull, aching pain that started in her toes and made its way up to the top of her head. It felt like she had been beaten severely. She would check for bruises if she could see._

 _When Aria first opened her eyes, she thought she'd gone blind. There was nothing but darkness surrounding her. But the darkness felt close and selective, not spacious and totally encompassing like a dark room. This dark was artificial. A blindfold maybe? Her face was in so much pain that she couldn't tell._

 _She tried to move. Chains rattled. Were they on her ankles or on her wrists? Either way, she knew she couldn't move._

 _The air smelled stale and almost metallic like she was in a warehouse or something similar. How had she gotten there? The last thing she remembered was talking to Spencer's friend, Wren, outside of The Brew. He'd pulled up next to them on the street and started talking to them as if he known all of them since birth. Aria found it strange, but no one else did. She recalled Wren asking them if they needed a ride home. She was pretty sure she'd said no, but he insisted. Did she eventually say yes? Is that how she got here? Blindfolded and chained to God knows what? Was this Wren's version of a senior prank? If so, it wasn't funny._

 _All of the sudden she heard talking. There were three voices. Two girls and one guy. Wren. They were muffled, probably in the next room. A door opened. She heard breathing. They were in her room now._

 _Aria's body went stiff. She was suddenly aware of how cold her legs were. She'd been wearing jeans earlier. Had they taken them off of her?_

 _"Hello?" Aria croaked out. Her throat was as dry as a bone. "Is anyone there?"_

 _Footsteps drew near. They stopped._

 _A hand on Aria's bare knee caused her to flinch._

 _"This isn't funny. Please let me go."_

 _The hand moved up her thigh. Aria tried to back away, but the chains kept her in place._

 _"Stop," Aria pleaded. "Please. Stop."_

 _The hand kept moving. Soon, slender fingers were tracing the outline of her panties. Aria felt hot breath on her neck just before a pair of lips attached themselves to her skin._

 _"Oh God," Aria cried. She felt tears running down her cheeks. "Please don't do this."_

 _The fingers slipped inside the fabric. Aria screamed. "No. Please. No. I'll do whatever you want. I…"_

 _Aria stopped mid-sentence. As much as her body hurt, what was happening to her at that moment hurt even worse. A loud cry escaped her lips as she wiggled to get away. But it was no use._

 _After a few moments, the fingers stopped their movements. Aria's body went limp and began shaking with sobs. The next thing she heard was the zipper of a pair of jeans go down. Despite the pain that ripped through her limbs, Aria began thrashing from side to side, screaming, begging whoever this was to rethink their decision._

 _They didn't listen. They were just getting started._

 _Aria tried to count. She tried to keep track of how many minutes, hours, days she laid in the darkness without food or water. She tried to keep a tally of how many times Wren entered her room to have his way with her. She tried to figure out how long it had been since she'd shed her last tear. She tired, but she couldn't._

 _Her brain stopped functioning fully. She was only aware of the sounds around her. A voice here, a voice there. She couldn't focus on the discomfort or the hunger or the thirst. She'd go insane if she did…not to say that she hadn't already. At one point, before Aria decided to stop thinking, she considering gnawing off a chunk of her arm to satisfy her hunger. Humans tasted like chicken or something, right?_

 _She kept her movements as minimal as possible. She didn't turn from side to side when she got uncomfortable. She no longer fought Wren when he came for her. Aria just didn't move…until they made her._

 _They gave her food. Force fed her with their bare hands. One person held her mouth open. Another shoveled the food in. The last chased it with water. If Aria tried to vomit, they hit her in the thighs with some type of blunt, metal object._

 _When she finished her "meal", the two females took her into another room to begin playing their game._

 _They removed her blindfold and for the first time, Aria saw that CeCe and Mona were the owners of the two female voices she'd heard on the first day. She also saw herself…or what was supposed to be herself. But she didn't look like Aria anymore. She looked like a ghost of Aria. Thin, pale, zombie-like. He hair was gone…or shorter rather. They'd cut it without her knowledge._

 _"It looks better short," Mona shrugged. "We like it better this way. Our dolls have to look perfect. Now you do."_

 _Aria said nothing. She felt nothing._

 _Mona did her makeup. CeCe picked out her outfit. Together they made Aria into a living marionette._

 _Aria was right. She was in a warehouse. She mentally, and sarcastically, applauded herself for her correct assumption as the two female captors walked her down a long corridor. If only her intuition had been this good before she'd gotten into Wren's van, maybe she wouldn't be here._

 _They stopped at a set of double doors. CeCe opened one and pushed Aria inside. The room was dark except for lights lining a pathway on the floor._

 _"Follow the lighted path," CeCe instructed curtly._

 _Aria didn't move._

 _"Walk, dammit," CeCe hissed, grabbing Aria by the forearm and marching her forward a few steps._

 _Aria did what she was told, feeling a new bruise form on her paper-thin skin._

 _She heard the lights begin the click on, lighting up the room slowly and by row. That's when Aria noticed the sections of metal chairs set up on either side of the lighted path, as if they were expecting an audience. When she looked up, Aria saw a makeshift stage begin to fade in to view. Three dark figures hung from beams above and appeared to be strung up by rope._

 _The last light clicked on._

 _The hanging figures were her friends. Spencer, Hanna, and Emily had been strung up like puppets, passed out, but ready to put on a show._

 _Aria's eyes widened._

 _"Bring her here," Wren's haunting body appeared in the wings of the make shift stage._

 _CeCe clamped her arm back down on Aria and pulled her in the direction of her boss._

 _Wren opened his arms to Aria as if he was about to embrace her in a hug. But instead, he only rested his hands on her cheeks, cupping her face. "Hello, my beautiful doll." He leaned in. "You were always my favorite. I can't wait to play with you." His words instructed goose bumps to rise on Aria's skin. "Come now."_

 _Wren led Aria "backstage" where an odd looking contraption waited for her. A wooden board with two small holes cut in the middle, held up by strings, much like her friends were. Without warning, Wren grabbed Aria wrists and pulled them behind her. Aria let out a small squeak, wincing in pain. Wren persuaded Aria towards the wooden board and shoved her tiny hands through the holes. Suddenly, Aria couldn't move a muscle._

 _"This may hurt a little," Wren laughed, walking over to a pulley system of ropes that seemed to be attached the the board Aria was stuck to._

 _Before Aria could process what was happening, Wren yanked on the ropes, sending the wooden board up along with Aria's arms. She yelped in pain. No human was meant to bend that way. Any higher and her shoulders would dislocate themselves._

 _That's when it clicked._

 _She was his doll. His puppet._

 _He made her his. He dressed her up. He treated her like a possession._

 _This was the final step for his fantasy. If he dislocates her joints, she no longer has any control. It's all up to him. Total manipulation. This was it for her._

 _Wren yanked harder. She felt her right should pop out of socket and be pulled the the left. An involuntary scream escaped her lips. Another yank. There went her left shoulder. Another yank. Both shoulder moved upward. Aria felt tears streaming down her face. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had. Another yank. "Why are you doing this to me?" Her wrists popped. Her body shook. Another yank. Violent pain. Then total darkness._

Pain was the first thing she felt when she regained consciousness. An overwhelming sense of déjà vu washed over her. Where was she? Why did she hurt so bad?

She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't budge more than a centimeter or so. She tried to move her hand. Something was keeping it in place. Not a chain, but something.

Her breathing increased, becoming rapid and shallow. She had to get out.

"Help," Aria muttered. Her throat and lips were parched. "Help me." She croaked a little louder.

She felt a hand on her arm, causing her to flinch

"Please don't hurt me!" Aria screamed in a raspy voice.

"Aria," Someone who was definitely not Wren spoke gently to her. "Aria, you're okay. No one is going to hurt you. You're safe."

The voice registered in her head. "Ezra?" She whispered.

"I'm right here," He grabbed her hand and stroked it with the pad of his thumb.

"What happened? Where am I? Why can't I see anything?" Aria's voice shook with fear.

"You were in a car accident. You're in the hospital. Your eyes are swollen shut, but that's just temporary," Ezra answered her questions calmly, resulting in a sense of momentary peace to wash over Aria. "Do you remember the accident?"

Aria nodded. It was coming back to her as the seconds ticked by. The shattered glass, the way her car flipped, the way her life flashed before her eyes. "I was trapped under my car," Aria muttered.

"You were," Ezra confirmed her perception of reality. "Is that what you were just dreaming about? Is that why you were asking for help?"

For a brief second, Aria considered lying. She considered saying yes. But lying…or rather not telling the whole truth, is what caused her to get into this accident in the first place. Had she just been honest with Ezra, she would've never left the office, therefore she would've never been blindsided by a reckless truck driver. Lying continuously fucked her over. She thought she'd learned her lesson after her roundabout with Wren, CeCe, and Mona, but obviously she hadn't. She lied to everyone she loved once and almost died. Now she lied to Ezra and was almost killed. She was sensing a pattern she didn't like. "No. I was dreaming about…about what happened to me my senior year. The kidnapping."

Ezra frowned, "Oh. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly," Aria leaned her head back on her pillow. "Not right now at least." Just because she didn't want to lie, didn't mean she wanted to talk about it. There were a few other things she wanted to address before she got to her dark past. Things like the present. Their present.

"Okay," Ezra sounded disappointed.

"Why are you here?" Aria asked flatly.

"Because I love you," Ezra stated in a tone that mimicked hers. "And I care about you."

"Is that why you asked me to leave the office? Because you cared?" She didn't mean to sound bitchy, but she did.

"No," Ezra sighed. "I asked you to leave because I'm immature and an asshole."

Aria smirked despite herself, "Thank you for admitting it." Her expression fell. "But I can't let you take all the blame. I pushed you to that point."

Ezra bowed his head. He sucked in his bottom lip, a sign that he was contemplating what to say next. His brain didn't work fast enough.

"Do you want to know what it's like?" Aria asked suddenly, her demeanor softening.

"What what is like?" Ezra didn't lift his head.

"Being in a crash like that," Aria picked at a loose strand of fabric on her blanket with her only working hand. "Weren't you curious about it after Katelyn died?"

Ezra furrowed his brow, still staring at his shoes, "I was."

"Cliché as it is, my life really did flash before my eyes," Aria admitted. "I saw my childhood. There was this…this tire swing in my grandma's backyard. It was my favorite thing in the world until I outgrew it. I saw myself swinging on it. I could feel my hair flowing in the summer breeze. God, my hair used to be so long." She smiled slightly at the memory. "I saw my first fight with my best friend. It was over a boy. Stupid, I know. Then I saw my last fight with Alison. She accused me of stealing her favorite top. I didn't. Hanna did. But I never told her that. Then she died." Aria paused. Talking about death in her condition made her feel incredibly lucky, but also incredibly uneasy. "I saw her funeral. The dress I wore was way too short for it, but I thought I looked good, as if the funeral was about me and not Ali," She rolled her eyes. "I saw…I saw the dollhouse. Maybe that's why I dreamed about it just now. That or I haven't had a night terror in awhile and my brain decided to throw one at me now. Yeah, by the way, I have night terrors and am prone to anxiety attacks because of what happened to me. Just something to know for the future," Aria said dryly. "I saw my relationship with Liam. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I saw you. I…I liked seeing you. That part went by too quickly. I didn't want it to end. I don't think Katelyn did either." She whispered the last part, hoping she wasn't overstepping her bounds.

"I hope not," Ezra sniffed as he finally lifted his head. Although Aria couldn't see very well, she could hear it in his voice that he was crying. "I thought I lost you. I don't want to lose you. Ever."

Just as Aria was going to respond, there was a knock on the door. "Uh, come in?" Aria called out weakly.

The door opened, revealing a small nurse with a syringe clasped firmly in her hand. "Hi, Ms. Montgomery. Glad to see you're awake. Unfortunately, that may not last long. I'm here to give you your pain medication and it will make you sleepy."

"Oh," Aria sighed. She was tired of sleeping. She wanted to talk to Ezra. "Can it wait?"

"I'm afraid not," The nurse shook her head and began rubbing Aria's IV with an alcohol pad. "Not unless you want your pain level to increase tremendously."

"She doesn't," Ezra spoke for her, knowing that Aria would probably try to sound tough and opt out of the medication.

"Alright, just lay back and close your eyes. This will kick in pretty quickly. No sense in trying to fight it," The nurse attached the syringe to the IV and began pushing the burning liquid into Aria's veins. "Just count backwards from ten. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…"

 _"Five, four, three, two, one. Showtime, my precious dolls. Make me proud."_

 **A/N: Thank you guys for reading! I am so sorry this is so short and that the quality isn't up to its usual standard. My prom date dumped me earlier today, so I've been dealing with that and I wasn't really in the mood to write for awhile. But it's still Wednesday, so I kept my promise. It just took a little longer than I anticipated. The next chapter will be longer, I promise! Hope y'all enjoyed it! What did you think of the dollhouse dream Aria had? I will say that the marionette idea was inspired by an episode of Criminal Minds and was not totally my idea. Also, I know you guys were looking forward to some sweet moments between them, like a kiss or an apology, but given what happened to me earlier today, I wasn't in the mood to write that. Plus, I think it's a bit unrealistic for Aria to wake up and immediately want to talk about their fight. She's still trying to process what happened to her. You can expect more fluff in the next chapter, which I hope to upload Saturday. Please don't let the short length discourage your reviews. Please, please, please, let me know your thoughts by reviewing!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	22. Chapter 22

Nothing had changed since the last time Aria was awake, no matter how much she had foolishly expected them to. Only a few hours had gone by since her last visit into consciousness, but it had felt like days had passed in her head. A part of her hoped that she'd wake up and be out of pain, able to open her eyes, and able to go home to her own bed. But unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Her body still hurt like hell, she could only see a sliver of her surroundings, and she was bedridden in the most uncomfortable bed known to man.

Through her swollen lids, Aria saw that there was a soft glow to her room, leading her to the inference that it was early morning. 7 or 8 am, maybe. Slowly, she began inching her hand down the bed, hoping for her fingers to run into a body, preferably Ezra's. He'd been leaning on the right side of her mattress that last time she woke up. She wondered if he was still there or if he'd left for work.

When she hit bare skin, she jerked her hand backwards. "Ezra?" Her voice was raspy and thin and probably no louder than a whisper. Her tongue and throat were parched and her lips felt cracked around the edges. Of course she wouldn't be loud, she didn't have the means to be.

"I'm here. I'm here," Ezra sounded sleepy, like he'd been woken up by Aria's touch. She felt him squirm around a bit next to her leg before he settled into a position and intertwined their fingers. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

Her lips twitched, threatening to slide upward into a tired, heavily medicated grin. Despite all of the fighting they'd done not 24 hours ago, Aria was surprised, but not at all repulsed, by the fact that Ezra was acting like her boyfriend instead of her ex. It felt nice to know he still cared about her. "I'm fine," Her voice went out halfway through her short sentence. "Actually, do you have anything to drink?" Her voice cracked up an octave.

"Yeah," Aria heard Ezra's scoot back his chair and begin walking away from her. "I went to the vending machine earlier and got myself a Sprite. Do you want to drink it from the bottle? I can get you your own cup if you'd like."

Aria held out her working hand, feeling the tube of her IV get caught in the bedside railing momentarily. "It's fine. Not like we haven't swapped spit before."

Ezra chuckled. Aria heard the Sprite hiss as he uncapped it and handed her the green tinted bottle. "Here you go."

"Thank you," Aria brought the bottle to her aching lips and began gulping down the fizzy liquid. The cool and wet feeling of the drink acted as a placebo, making her whole body feel relieved of it's ailments, although she was only aiding her mouth and throat in their struggles. When she pulled the bottle away, she let out a satisfied sigh, then outstretched her arm, signaling Ezra to take the drink away.

Aria listened as Ezra screwed the cap back onto the bottle and made his way back to the chair beside her bed. The cushion squeaked under his weight. A beat of uncomfortable silence passed between them before Ezra spoke again. "I called your mom last night. She's on her way up. I hope that's okay."

"No, yeah, that's fine," Aria shrugged. The last time she'd seen her mother in person was at Christmas. She'd been meaning to arrange a time to see her, but their schedules just didn't coincide. One weekend Aria was busy. The next Ella was. "Thanks for calling her. I'm glad she'd coming." Aria furrowed her brow, "Wait, how'd you get her number?"

"Your phone survived the crash. A policeman brought up all of your belongings shortly after you fell back asleep last night. When I saw that your phone still worked, I figured that I'd give your mom a call. I thought she needed to know…and I thought maybe you needed her," Ezra reconnected their hands and squeezed hers gently.

"I do. Thank you," Aria nodded and gave the best appreciative smile that she could with her bruised face and chapped lips.

"I'll leave you two alone when she gets here," Ezra stated softly. "I can go to my apartment and grab some of your clothes so you aren't stuck in that gown that whole time you're here. Or I can bring you a few of my shirts. I can also bring some snacks because I know this hospital food sucks. And I…I know you can't see very well, but I thought maybe I could bring some books that you like and I could read to you like I used to before bed sometimes. That is…if you want. I understand if you'd rather me leave and not come back." His rambling was endearing, but that last sentence set Aria's nerves on edge. Of course she wanted him there. Boyfriend or not, she still liked being with him.

"Ezra, stop. I want you here," Aria tried to strengthen her voice to add conviction. It didn't work very well, so she tried a different approach. Flattery. "Make sure you bring that yellow shirt of yours. That was always my favorite."

"Will do," Ezra's smile was evident in his voice. "Any other requests?"

"Gummy bears?" Aria asked like a hopeful child.

"Of course. Anything else?" Ezra chuckled.

"Just don't be gone too long," Aria circled her thumb over the knuckle of his index finger.

"I won't," Ezra promised. "I'll be quick."

"Good," A miniscule smile formed on Aria's lips. "You know, my mother has been dying to meet you."

She felt Ezra tense at her words. "You told her about me?"

"Of course," Aria said nonchalantly.

"Well, um, how should I introduce myself? I mean, uh, what exactly are we? Friends? Exes?" His voice was tight. Clearly, this was a subject that he wanted to avoid, but was unable to avoid with the mention of meeting her mother.

"Just introduce yourself as Ezra. That'll be enough," Aria said quietly, hoping that her answer would suffice for him at the moment.

"Okay, but you didn't answer my second question," Ezra pulled his hand from hers and placed it out of her line of vision. "What are we?"

Aria sighed, "You made it pretty clear at the office that we were exes, so…I guess that's what we are."

"Oh," Ezra's voice sounded small. "Is that what you want us to be?"

The answer was no. She wanted to be his again. She wanted him to be hers again. But the answer was also yes. He'd been so adamant about ending things less than one day ago. And she'd been so hurt by it. Would he have changed his mind in such a short amount of time? Sure, he was being nice to her now, but that was only because she'd just nearly died. He was probably just in as much shock as she was. So was he being nice for the sake of being nice, or did he really think he made a mistake? And if he had, was she willing to forgive him yet?

"No," Aria breathed, deciding to be bold and test the waters.

"Me neither," Ezra admitted, brushing his fingers against her pinky, aching for her touch.

"But…" Aria began.

"But nothing," Ezra interrupted. "I was an ass. I got caught up in my emotions at the office and said things I shouldn't have. I was the selfish one, not you. I thought I deserved to know everything about you, but in reality, I don't even deserve to know you like I do, but for some reason, you've let me. I should've had more patience then that of a 3-year-old. And I also shouldn't have let Liam fuel my anger towards you." That wasn't an apology. But it was a start.

"You're right. You shouldn't have," Aria clucked her tongue. "What exactly did Liam tell you about me anyways?" She already knew that Liam had told Ezra about the dollhouse and the happy miscarriage, but the fear that he'd revealed other secrets had been bouncing around inside of her since she walked out of his office yesterday. Liam was a snake. He looked enchanting and tame, but he would use his poisonous tongue to destroy everything good and pure that minute he felt threatened or dominated.

"He just…I…well…Liam,' Ezra grasped at straws, trying to find the right words.

"Are you having a stroke?" Aria teased dryly. "C'mon, spit it out, Ezra."

He sighed and let his eyes flutter shut, "Well, the first thing he told me…and it's okay if you did this. You own your body, not me or anyone else…but…well, Liam said that you followed through on sending him those pictures he asked for. At first I was mad. But now, I realize how stupid it was to get upset with you. Like I said, it's your body. Your choice. I mean, I can wish that you didn't do it because I think you should have a little more respect for yourself than that…wait, those weren't the right words. Uh, just…"

"Hand me my phone, Ezra," Aria demanded abruptly.

"What?" Ezra stopped mid-sentence, sounding winded.

"Hand me my phone," Aria held out her hand. "You need to see something."

Ezra moved to retrieve her phone. By the way he placed it in her hand, Aria knew he was hesitant. He knew that she was about to prove Liam a liar.

Aria typed in her passcode by muscle memory, then brought her phone up to her face to squint through her sent text messages. When she got to Liam's name, she clicked on it and turned the screen towards Ezra. "Look. This is all I sent him."

She watched Ezra's eyes dance across the screen, then instantly reflect with regret. "I'm such an idiot," He mumbled. "Of course you didn't send him pictures of yourself. Fuck. Why did I think you had just because he said so? I am so sorry. I was angry and I wanted to paint you as the bad guy in the situation to make myself feel better…"

"It's okay," Aria flipped her phone back to face her before locking it and setting it in between her legs.

"No, it's not. I should've had more faith in you," Ezra shook his head and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger.

"Okay, you're right. It's not okay," Aria shrugged, growing tired of their back and forth.

"What?" Ezra looked up at her with furrowed brows and pouted lips. He hadn't expected her to say that. No one expects to be agreed with when saying they were in the wrong. It's just not the polite way to respond. But Aria was done with polite.

"What do you want me to say, Ezra?" Aria huffed. "I tell you that it's alright, you protest. I tell you that it isn't, and you don't understand why I'm saying that? I said it was okay because that a formality. It's what you do when someone apologizes. But then you told me that it wasn't okay, and I decided that you were right. It wasn't. You hurt me, Ezra. You really did. And I know that I hurt you too. I caused the pain that made your brain believe Liam's lies. So how about this, we both fucked up, we should both apologize. Can we both just agree that we were in the wrong and move on? I don't want to fight. Especially not right now. I don't have the energy."

The more Ezra spoke, the more Aria realized that their battle was far from over. This fight revealed the cracks in their foundation. The bubble of love they'd been living in had finally burst. Their honeymoon phase was cut short but the cruelty of their circumstance and a few stupid choices. They had trust issues. Aria had been screwed over so many times that she was afraid to tell Ezra everything because she knew that one day, her decisions might cause his to leave. If he knew everything about her, he'd take every part of her with him. Liam had. And Aria still wasn't sure if she'd gotten it all back yet. Ezra still lived in fear of falling in love only to fall out of it, like he had with Katelyn. He didn't want to make the wrong choice again. So much so that he unconsciously began looking for red flags on Aria that didn't necessarily exist. They may have loved each other, but that love hadn't grown strong enough to withstand a small thunderstorm yet. That would take time, just like their recovery would take time. But they couldn't fight this war while one of them was injured. They had to wait for her to heal, to be strong enough to make it through talks that undoubtedly lead to shouting, tears, and all night talks. As of now, their time had to be spent focusing on her health and improvement. Until she was better, they'd have to put band aids over fault lines and hope that there wasn't another earthquake to break the adhesive.

"Okay," Ezra breathed. "We were both in the wrong."

"I'm sorry for leaving you and not letting you know that I was alright," Aria said flatly.

"And I'm sorry for lashing out at you at the office and for letting Lia influence my emotions," Ezra reciprocated with the same level of enthusiasm, or rather, lack thereof.

An uncomfortably loud silence settled over the two. Their apologies had been sincere, yet had held an emptiness behind them. Like children fighting, they'd said they were sorry so the other person would forgive them. But like adults fighting, they knew better than to think that was all it took for them to be okay.

Minutes passed before one of them spoke again. Ezra had begun to think Aria had fallen back asleep just before she said, "What else did Liam tell you? Sorry to keep bringing it up, but I just want to know. You mentioned something about my miscarriage?"

Ezra cleared his throat, obviously taken aback by Aria's question. He thought they'd shut down that topic for the day. "Uh, yeah. Liam told me that…well that…he said that you planed to go back to the abortion clinic after the first time, but miscarried before you could. He also said you were…uh, happy about losing the baby." He spoke the last few words so low and so fast that Aria almost hadn't heard them.

"I wouldn't say that _happy_ is necessarily the right word. More like…relieved. I wasn't ready to be a mother back then. And telling people that you miscarried instead of saying you got an abortion gets you sympathy instead of glares," Aria wasn't fond of the topic of her pregnancy. She especially wasn't fond of talking about her almost abortion. It had been three years ago. She'd been scared and admittedly, very selfish. She didn't want the baby, and when she lost it naturally it made her feel better, as odd as it seemed. If that happened today…with Ezra's baby, Aria would be devastated.

"Why did you omit that part when you originally told me about the miscarriage?" Ezra raised his eyebrows.

"I told you I wanted an abortion," Aria muttered, casting her gaze down onto her sheets.

"Yeah, but then you said you freaked out and chickened out. You never said you decided to go back," Ezra sounded exasperated. Had Aria been looking, she was certain she would've seen him run his hand through his curly hair.

"Because I never actually went back," Aria shrugged.

"But you wanted to," Ezra pressed.

"Yes," Aria nodded curtly.

"Okay," Ezra sighed. "So why didn't you tell me that part?"

"Because I didn't think it was necessary," _It was none of your business._ "I never had an abortion. I didn't think that part mattered."

"You didn't think I'd find out," Ezra said as if he were clarifying her statement for her.

"No," Aria said in a warning tone. "I just didn't think it was relevant."

"Okay," The chair squeaked as Ezra leaned back in it.

"Okay?" Aria lifted her eyes. "What does that mean?"

"It means okay," Ezra brought his hands behind his head to support it.

"You're upset," Aria phrased her question as a statement.

"No. I'm…confused," Ezra brought his elbows forward and squeezed his triceps, making it look like he was trying to stretch out his frustration.

"About what?" Aria licked her lips awkwardly.

"How to feel," Ezra reached his arms up to the ceiling and shut his eyes. He was uncomfortable. But be it with the topic of conversation or the chair he'd been occupying for hours on end, Aria didn't know. "I'm not upset or angry, I know that. But I'm not sure what I am."

"Oh," was all Aria could say.

Suddenly, Ezra brought his arms down and grabbed Aria's hand again. "Hey. You know I still love you, right? Just because things got rocky between us, and are still pretty shaky, doesn't mean I don't love you. This is just…a test, I guess. And depending on how long you're willing to put up with me, there might be a lot of these."

Aria felt her heart pick up it's pace. It had only been a week since she'd last heard those words, but it felt like it had been months. They gave her hope that maybe they're battle wouldn't be as uphill as she thought. "I love you too," She admitted. "I don't want us to be over."

"Me neither," Ezra smiled a toothless smile.

"But," Aria brought them both back from a brief trip to cloud 9 with that infamous three letter word. "There's still so much that we need to talk about before we're completely okay again."

"I agree," Ezra nodded.

As Aria was about to reply with the list of things they'd need to address in their future discussions, her phone began to ring. She pulled her hand from Ezra's grip so that she could answer the call.

"Hello?" She hadn't looked at the caller I.D. prior to answering.

"Aria," Her mother, Ella's, soothing voice, one strikingly similar to her own, came through the receiver.

"Hey mom," Aria tried to perk her voice up for her mother's sanity's sake. Hearing your daughter sounding half-dead on the phone after she'd been involved in a terrible accident would be enough to give any mother a heart attack.

"I'm in the hospital. I just don't know where to go," Ella sounded rushed. "What floor are you on? What room are you?"

Aria didn't know. She'd been out of it throughout the entirety of her transportation upon her arrival and she'd yet to get out of her bed to even walk around, though she doubted she could due to the brace on her leg. She looked to Ezra and gave shook him an expression of puzzlement. "Uh, Ezra, what floor am I on?"

"The 4th. Room 432," Ezra rose from his spot as he spoke.

"4th floor. Room 432," Aria parroted back into the phone.

"Okay, I'll be right up," Ella affirmed.

"Okay. See you in a minute."

When she hung up, Aria turned her head to locate Ezra in the room. He'd disappeared from her very limited peripheral vision and moved to the corner of the room to gather his things. "My mom's on her way up," Aria said as if he didn't already know.

"Okay," Ezra turned to face her. "I'm going to get going. Give you two some alone time." He slung his satchel over his shoulder and balled his suit jacket under his arm.

"Wait," Aria reached for him. "Stay until my mom gets here. She wants to meet you, remember?"

"Oh, right," Ezra slumped his shoulders and dropped his bag back onto the floor. "No problem."

"And come back tonight?" Aria asked hopefully.

"Of course."

"With gummy bears and your yellow shirt?" She tested.

"I wouldn't dream of returning without those things," Ezra laughed.

"Thank you," Aria giggled, making her rib cage ache. "Oh, and Ezra…" She trailed off, unsure if she should finish her statement.

"Yeah?" Ezra cocked an eyebrow.

Aria bit her lip. _Fuck it._ "You can introduce yourself to my mom as my _boyfriend_ Ezra…if you want."

Line break

Ezra slipped in through the doors of the ICU again just before visiting hours ended with a duffle bag full of goodies for Aria and a pair of sleeping shorts for himself. He'd stayed the night the previous night, but had slept in his slacks and dress shirt. He hoped that changing into more comfortable clothes would make his sleep more enjoyable and effective. But just in case that didn't work, he'd taken a nap back at his apartment and had heavy duty sleeping pills tucked into his pocket for when he did eventually want to doze off.

The floor was quiet, save a few low voices of nurses discussing their patients and family members who weren't spending the night bidding their loved one's goodbye.

Ezra caught a glimpse of an old man leaving his wife's bedside, not letting go of her fragile hand until it fell from his grip because of their distance. He smiled. As sad as their circumstance may be, Ezra found himself wanting to be in a similar position one day. Not that he wanted his wife to be dying in a hospital. No, he just wanted to grow old with someone, even if it meant them leaving him for Heaven when they were 98. And a good part of him hoped that someone would be Aria.

When he got to Aria's room, he slid the glass door open slowly, drawing the attention of Ella, who was sitting where Ezra had been sitting before she arrived. "Hey," He whispered as he became aware of Aria's sleeping body.

"Hi, Ezra," Ella smiled sweetly. Ezra couldn't help but mentally note how much Aria resembled her mother. They had the same lips, the same smile, the same inflection of their voice.

"How is she?" Ezra set the duffle bag down near the bathroom door.

"She's fine. Fell asleep about an hour ago. I wanted to stay here with her until you got back. I didn't want her to wake up alone," Ella stood up and walked over to met Ezra on the other side of the bed.

"Thanks Ella," Ezra gave a tight lipped smile. "I know she appreciates you coming to see her." God, he sounded like her husband the way he was speaking for her.

"Of course," Ella nodded. "I appreciate you calling me. She's my little girl. I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost her."

"Me neither," Ezra looked at Aria's still figure in the bed and began counting her breaths, savoring each one.

"This happened to your late wife, didn't it?" Ella questioned.

"It did," Ezra rubbed the back of his neck. "Katelyn just wasn't as fortunate as Aria."

Ella bowed her head, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," Ezra placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, though. I mean, I miss her, I do, but I try to look on the bright side. If I hadn't lost her, I would've never found Aria." That was true. Ezra often thought about what it would've been like had he and Katelyn simply divorced. He probably would've tried to win her back for some time, even though his efforts would've been futile. Then they would've had to go through the divorce process, and depending on what the terms were, they could still technically be married, even three years later. At first, after Katelyn had died, everyone told him that everything happens for a reason. They said that God worked in mysterious ways. Back then, Ezra called that bullshit. Now Ezra knew better. Aria was God's reason. Aria was His mysterious way.

Ella smiled brightly at Ezra's words, "You know, I like you much better than I ever liked Liam. And I've known you for less than a day. I knew that bastard for four plus years." She chuckled.

"Oh," Ezra blinked. "Thank you. I think Aria likes me better too," He joked.

"Oh, she does. Trust me," Ella rolled her eyes playfully, much like Aria would if she had been having this conversation with him. "They way she talks about you makes it seem like you were the reason the sun decided to shine each day."

"Really?" Ezra couldn't stop a grin from consuming his face.

"Yes," Ella nodded slowly. "I've never seen her so in love. Don't break her heart."

 _Too late._ Ezra wanted to say. "I don't ever want to," _Again._

"Good, because if you do…well let's just say I can be one fierce Mama Bear," Ella winked.

"Message received," Ezra put his hands up in faux surrender.

"Good," Ella smirked. "Oh, Ezra," She brushed past him and walked over to a nook in the corner near the door. "Can you make sure these get home with her." She picked up a stack of moleskin journals and thrust them towards Ezra, silently asking him to take them from her. "She asked me to mail these to her a couple of weeks ago, but I never got around to doing it. So, when you called, I figured I'd bring them up to save money on stamps," She paused to laugh lightly. "I told her that I brought them. I even showed her where I put them. But given her medicated brain and limited mobility, I think she may forget to pack them when she goes home. So if you could…"

"I'll take care of it," Ezra took the journals into his hands and drummed on the top one with his fingers.

"Thank you," Ella sighed. "Well, I should get going. Call me if you need anything. I'm staying at a hotel a couple of blocks down." She grabbed her purse from the floor and situated it on her shoulder. "Goodnight Ezra.

"Will do," Ezra set the journals on the foot of Aria's bed, then moved to open the door for Ella to exit. "Goodnight Ella. It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise," Ella retorted before stepping over the threshold and leaving Ezra be with Aria and a stack of her old journals.

After a few seconds of stillness and silence, Ezra tip toed over to the bed and hovered over Aria's body. He searched her face for a patch of clear, unmarred skin. He wanted to kiss her, but he didn't want to hurt her or wake her up. His eyes landed on a small, uneven circle of uninterrupted white pigment just above her ear, just below her temple. That would have to do.

Ezra leaned down and pressed a feather light kiss to the spot before retreating back to the upright position. His eyes stayed glued on her for a moment, looking for any sign that she might be in pain or waking up. But nothing happened.

Ezra sighed, moving to the end of her bed to take the journals to their previous place in the room. Aria wasn't very mobile, but he still didn't want to risk having her kick them off in the middle of the night and startle herself awake. She needed as much peaceful sleep as she could get.

However, as Ezra walked across the floor, the journal on top, a black one with an embossed design on the cover, slipped from its place and smacked open on the ground. He flinched, then immediately looked back at Aria to gauge her reaction. Nothing. She hadn't heard it.

He quickly placed the others back on the shelf before shuffling back to pick up the one he had dropped. As he reached down to retrieve it, his eyes scanned the first few words on the page and sent a message up to his brain to make his hand stop in its tracks.

 _The therapist at Radley thinks it'd be a good idea for me to write down my thoughts. She says I'm creative, therefore I need to find a creative outlet for my emotions. I don't draw. I don't paint. I don't make music. I write. So here it goes, I guess. This is what happened to me in the Dollhouse. A warning to anyone who reads this, it'll get graphic. Rated R, rated M, NSFW. All of the above. Not recommended for anyone under the age of 18. Too early for sarcasm? Oh well. Anyways, here it is. Try not to vomit, and I'll try not to cry._

 **A/N: So it's technically Sunday, but I promise I tried to get it up on Saturday. It was just an unexpectedly busy day, so I'm sorry. But here it is! Chapter 22. So I originally said this story would only have 21-22 chapters, but obviously there's still more to the story. There will be two more chapters after this and then an epilogue. I have a new idea for another story, so as soon as this one is done, I'll start on that.**

 **Anyways, what'd you guys think? Ezria are on their way to fixing their relationship! What did you think about their conversation? What about Ezra and Ella's interaction? Also, now that Ezra has access to Aria's journals, do you think he'll read them to get the inside story on what happened to her in the dollhouse? He's already gotten a sneak preview. Next chapter, you will find out all about the dollhouse, so brace yourselves! I'm shooting to upload on Wednesday or Thursday. Please let mw know your thoughts by reviewing! Who knows, if I get a lot of reviews, maybe I'll update even sooner! Thank y'all for reading.**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	23. Chapter 23

"Got any threes?"

"Go Fish."

"Dammit."

"Got any fours?"

"Honestly, fuck you. How are you so good at this game?"

"It's a children's game, Ezra. Calm down."

They'd been going on like this for the past couple of hours. First Ezra lost to Aria at Gin. Next, he lost to her at Speed. Then he suggested that they play Stealing Bundles, a game that Aria had no idea how to play. She still won. After that, they played War. Aria won, Ezra pouted. And that brought the couple to where they are now, playing Go Fish, with Ezra still losing and becoming increasingly frustrated.

"You're cheating. You've got to be," Ezra pulled Aria's cards from her hands and began to inspect them, simultaneously ending the game.

"Yeah, just like I was cheating in Gin, Speed, Stealing Bundles, _and_ War," Aria giggled, ignoring the ache in her side as she did so. "Face it honey, you're just really bad at card games. Remind me to never take you to Vegas."

Ezra cocked and eyebrow and smirked as he set the stack of cards down on the desk tray in between them, "Oh no. We're going to Vegas. Yeah, as soon as you heal, you and I are taking a vacation to Vegas. I won't touch the gambling tables, but you my dear, will. You're obviously good luck."

"Obviously," Aria motioned to her battered body and rolled her eyes playfully.

"Hey," Ezra reached for her hand. "You survived that accident. That's some good luck if I've ever seen it."

Aria gave a small smile. In hindsight, she was incredibly lucky. She was lucky that the truck rammed into her passenger side rather than the driver's side. She was lucky to have survived with relatively minor injuries. And she was lucky to be in the company of such a wonderful man while she recovered. It was just hard to focus on the good things when her body nursed a constant dull ache and she couldn't use the bathroom without help.

"You're looking better today," Ezra shuffled the cards between his fingers and began to stick them back in the box. Apparently, they were done for the day. "I mean, not that you looked bad but, like, the swelling in your face has gone down. Can you see better today? You better say yes, because if you beat me in five card games while being legally blind, I might lose it."

Aria laughed lightly, "Yes. I can. I'm still not one hundred percent in the vision department, but compared to yesterday, it's much easier to see."

Her eyes opened up about halfway now. If she tried really hard, she could open them all of the way, it just hurt like hell. The doctors told her that she'd be able to see perfectly within the next few days, depending on how quickly her body healed. Aria wasn't sure how long a 'few days' was, but she just hoped it was sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, her other injuries would be taking the 'later' route in the healing process. A fractured hip, a dislocated shoulder, some broken fingers, a couple of cracked ribs, and road burn don't seem to be as easy of a fix for her body as her swollen eyes were. The doctors said _those_ afflictions would take weeks, maybe even months, to heal completely.

"I'm glad," Ezra leaned over and pressed a light kiss to her cheek.

Before he could retreat back to the upright position, Aria placed her hand on his should and tugged him closer. "It's been awhile," She muttered, her face just centimeters from his.

Aria watched Ezra's eyes flicker towards her lips. She knew they didn't look incredibly inviting at the moment. They were cracked, bruised, and in one place, completely cut open. But Aria wasn't looking for a make out session. All she wanted was for Ezra to place a kiss, no matter how quick, on her mouth. She hoped he would overlook her ailments a fulfill her silent wish.

"Tell me if I hurt you," Ezra inched closer, his breathing slowing much like it used to before he'd take her in bed. Aria could tell that he had missed this too.

"I will," Aria nodded before finally closing the gap between them.

Aria had heard that kissing was good for the body. It boosted the immune system and acted as a natural pain reliever. She wasn't sure how much she believed that, until now. This kiss wasn't their usual. It wasn't wet, or open mouthed, or even passionate. No, it was stationary, close lipped, and sweet. But even then, it made Aria forget about the pulsating pain in her body for a long-lived minute. She felt butterflies in her stomach rather than churning. And she felt her head start to spin instead of pound. For a fleeting moment, everything was alright.

A knock on her door force the lovers apart. They pulled away from one another like two teenagers whose mom had just walked in on them and looked towards the door, cheeks flushed.

The doctor that had been tending to Aria for the past few days, Dr. Nguy, walked in with his team of fellows and nurses, wearing an isolation gown and a bright smile. "Good morning, Aria."

"Morning," Aria smiled, her eyes trained on Ezra as he moved from the side of her bed and into the chair in the corner. Slowly but surely, the pain started to rear its ugly head inside of her body again. _That didn't take long._

"How are we feeling this morning?" Dr. Nguy liked to say 'we' instead of 'you' when he addressed his patients. Aria assumed it was to make people feel more connected to their caretaker, but all it made her feel was annoyed. He wasn't the one in the hospital bed. He was doing just fine. Aria, on the other hand, was not.

"I'm alright," Aria shrugged.

"How's the pain, on a scale of one to ten," Dr. Nguy pulled his stethoscope from around his neck, put it in his ears, and placed the round end on Aria's chest. "Take a deep breath for me." He whispered just inches from her face. Aria wrinkled her nose. His breath smelled like coffee and garlic.

"Maybe a…five right now," Aria was generous. She averaged out her discomfort to arrive at the number. Her hip and shoulder were at about a nine. Her fingers and burned arm, about a four. Her lip and eyes, maybe a two. Nine plus four plus two was fifteen. Fifteen divided by three was five. Therefore, her pain level was at a five.

"Right in the middle, not bad," Dr. Nguy pulled back and placed his stethoscope back around his neck. "Well, I have some good news for you."

Aria and Ezra exchanged confused glances. Surely he wasn't about to discharge her. As much as she wanted to leave, she just wasn't well enough to go home, even she could admit that.

"We are going to be moving you from the ICU to a regular floor to be monitored for the next couple of days. If all goes well and you continue to heal with no set backs, you should be out of here by Wednesday." It was Thursday. She could handle six more days, although it wasn't like she had a choice if she couldn't.

"That's great news," Ezra beamed.

"Now, when you do go home, you will need someone to look after you for awhile You'll be in a wheelchair until your shoulder heals, then you'll need to be on crutches for the remainder of the time your hip is in that brace. You are also not allowed to do any heavy lifting or excessive activity until you're cleared by your regular doctor because of the sutures in your side," _That's right, they had to operate because I was internally bleeding. I almost forgot._ "Do you have someone who can look after you?" Dr. Nguy eyed Ezra as he finished his sentence.

"I will," Ezra volunteered like he hadn't already been drafted.

"Perfect," Dr. Nguy grinned. "And you're her…"

"Boyfriend," Ezra said proudly, making Aria's heart flutter.

"Good boyfriend," One of the female fellows chuckled. "You've got yourself a keeper. Have you left her side since she got here? I feel like you never go home."

Ezra smiled and ducked his head bashfully, "I went home a couple of days ago while her mother was here, but other than that, no."

"Wow," Another fellow smirked. "We see husbands and wives less committed than you all the time. Jada's right," The fellow referenced the girl who had previously spoken. "You've got yourself a keeper."

Aria smiled and looked up at Ezra, who was grinning from ear to ear, "Eh, he's alright."

Her response caused the team of people to laugh. When they settled, Dr. Nguy cleared his throat, "Well I'm glad to know that you'll be in good hands. So, if you'd like to start packing up your stuff, transport will be by in a few to help you two move into your new home away from home."

"Thank you," Aria and Ezra said in unison as they watched the group of scrubs begin to file out of the room.

Once they were gone, Ezra placed a hand on his chest and tilted his chin dramatically, "I'm a keeper."

Aria rolled her eyes, pulling the pillow from behind her head and throwing it as hard as her fragile body would allow at him, "Shut up and start packing."

Line Break

"This isn't salad. This is soggy leaves and, like, two croutons," Aria turned her nose up at the meal in front of her.

Aria had become restless in her new room. Unlike the ICU, patients on her new floor were constantly up and walking around with their families. It was beginning to piss an immobile Aria off to no end. To calm her down, Ezra dumped her into a wheelchair and took her for a push around the hospital. His motives to get her out of the room may have been a bit selfish though. He was just as sick of being stationary as she was.

Their spin around the joint eventually landed them in the cafeteria. Aria had been living off of the gummy bears Ezra brought her and the Sprites he'd bought from the vending machine. Ezra figured it was time that she gets some real food in her stomach. He just didn't take into account that hospital food was the farthest thing from real food on the planet.

"Well can you eat your soggy leaves? You really need to," Ezra nudged the container closer towards her with his own fork.

"Ezra," Aria pouted. "How come what you got looks so much better than mine? I don't want soggy leaves, I want that." She pointed to his hamburger that was rather bland and French fries.

"I've told you once, and I'll tell you again. Being a vegan is literally the worst thing imaginable. And because you made that choice, you get soggy leaves, while I get a hamburger. I think it's God punishing you for making such a terrible life decision," Ezra winked and popped an over salted fry into his mouth.

"Being a vegan only sucks at a time like this," Aria huffed.

"See this is the kind of thing you need to account for when you're making life-altering choices. What you should've asked yourself back in college was, if I end up in the hospital, will being a vegan screw me over in terms of food?" Ezra chided.

"Fuck you," Aria stuck her tongue out, only to immediately put it back in her mouth as she noticed a small child and his mother walking past their table. The mother glared at Aria, but the boy seemed unphased by such foul language.

When Aria looked back at Ezra, she saw that his eyes were a mile wide and that he was trying to stifle a laugh. "Nice going, babe."

"Oh my God, I'm going to Hell," Aria giggled.

"I thought you didn't…never mind," Ezra waved his hand as if he were wiping his words from the atmosphere.

"I didn't what? Believe in Hell? Or Heaven?" Aria raised an eyebrow. "I'm getting there."

"Wait, really?" Ezra's eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"Don't get too excited. It's an idea I've decided to explore. Nearly dying can change a person," Aria admitted quietly. She'd actually been thinking about Ezra's religion and devotion to a higher being a lot recently. She wasn't totally gung-ho for the idea yet, but she found herself thinking about it more and more as time went on. She didn't want to get ahead of herself, but isn't making the other person question things and want to be a better person a characteristic of a soul mate?

"Well, if you have any questions, feel free to ask," Ezra smiled. "I mean, I'm no preacher, but I think I can give you some answers."

"Thanks," Aria bit her lip. "I will…if I have any."

"So…" Ezra hummed, racking his brain for another subject, sensing Aria wasn't entirely comfortable with their current one. "Are you going to curse like that in front of our children?"

"Our children?" Aria blushed. This was new territory.

"Uh, I mean, your children," Ezra averted his gaze.

"Um…" Aria started. "I'll try not to. I wouldn't want _our_ children to be sent home from daycare for cussing a kid out on the playground." She giggled at the image of a toddler that was half her, half Ezra, screaming profanities at an unsuspecting child on the swing set.

"How many do you want?" Ezra asked cautiously.

"Two, maybe three," Aria shrugged. "I want at least one of each. That's really the only reason I'd be willing to try for three. Like if we had two girls or two boys, I'd want to try for one of a different gender. But three's as far as I'm willing to go." Despite her past aversion to having children, Aria had given her future family a lot of thought.

"Me too," Ezra's smile consumed half of his face.

"If we have a daughter, we're naming her Daisy," Aria stabbed at her disappointing salad.

"As in Daisy Buchanan from _The Great Gatsby_?" Ezra questioned.

"Mhmm."

"Why? Daisy was an awful person," Ezra protested.

"No she wasn't," Aria shook her head. "She was…she was human. And I loved her. She'd the first female character that I felt like I could relate to growing up. I've wanted a daughter named Daisy ever since I read that book. It's kind of a deal breaker for me," Aria winked playfully, although she wasn't entirely kidding.

"Okay, Daisy it is," Ezra surrendered. "But I get to name our son, if we have one."

"What names do you have in mind?" Aria rested her chin in her hand.

"I like Riley. Logan. Carson. James, we could call him Jimmy," Ezra rattled off the names like he'd been holding onto them for years. That's when it clicked with Aria that he had. Those were names he'd conjured up back when he and Katelyn were trying for kids. He just never got to use them.

"I like Riley a lot. Riley Fitz. Ooh, Riley _James_ Fitz," Aria thought aloud.

"That sounds perfect," Ezra mused.

A warm feeling spread throughout Aria's body. They were really doing this. She and Ezra were really talking about having children. They were talking about their future, and they were serious. This wasn't some half-assed conversation they had while one of them had baby fever. This wasn't some stupid high school jabber because they didn't realize that there was life after the final bell rang. This was them talking about a future that was very real, very attainable. A future that Aria really wanted with Ezra.

But suddenly, that warm feeling turned cold. They, their relationship, wasn't out of the woods yet. There was still so much they had to work through once she got out of the hospital. And while the joking, the dreaming, and the card games were a nice, comfortable distraction, they were just that, _a distraction._ Once Aria got better, they'd have to take off the happy mask they'd put over their relationship and get down to the nitty gritty, love-testing stuff. At the moment, it was hard to imagine that that stuff lurked in the background, ready to pounce the minute they went home. It was nice to pretend that it wasn't. But it hit her heart like a freight train each time she remembered.

Ezra noticed Aria's demeanor change and furrowed his brows, "What's wrong? Are you in pain? Do we need to go back to the room?"

"I'm fine," Aria lied. Physically she was. Emotionally she wasn't. "But, can we go back to the room? I feel disgusting and want to bathe. Will you help me?"

"Of course," Ezra began collecting all of their trash onto his tray. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Aria forced a smile. "I just want to get clean."

By the way Ezra looked at her, Aria knew he didn't buy her story. But he didn't say anything. He just continued to gather their belongings, preparing them both to head back to the room in silence.

Line Break

"What do you want to wear? I've got my yellow shirt, my gray one. I have one of your sweatshirts, a few of your NYU t-shirts. Also, do you want to wear my boxers or your panties? And I'm assuming you don't want to wear a bra, but I brought some just in case. I also have some sports bras for you. Do you want sweatpants? Or will the underwear be enough?" Ezra rambled from outside the bathroom as he looked through the duffle bag he'd brought up a couple days ago.

Aria wasn't really paying attention, though. Instead, she was picked at a thread on her hospital gown as she sat on a shower chair inside the bathroom, avoiding her reflection. She knew she looked horrible, she didn't need to confirm it.

"Aria?" Ezra poked his head through the door. "I need an answer."

"Oh," Aria looked up slowly. "Um, your yellow shirt. Your boxers. That's all."

"Okay," Ezra disappeared from her sight again.

With her working arm, Aria tried to reach around to untie her gown. Her fingers danced across the rough fabric, but were unable to locate the knot. "Ugh," She huffed, slamming her hand back into her lap.

"Here," Ezra strode through the doorway with her new clothes and a towel. "Let me help you."

Within seconds, Ezra had both knots undone and was sliding the gown down her arms. "There we go," He sighed, wadding up the gown in his hand and throwing it into the trashcan labeled Soiled Linens. Them he bent down and began tugging at the panties she'd been wearing since the accident. "Can you lift your butt up a little?" Ezra asked, looking up at Aria, his eyes grazing over her exposed and bruised breasts on their way to meet her eyes. Aria nodded and used her hand to lift herself up off the chair slightly. Once Ezra got her panties off, he hooked one arm under her legs and the other around her back, and carried her to the empty bathtub.

Aria watched as Ezra walked over to the sink and filled a gallon sized cup provided by the hospital with water and plucked a wash cloth from the shelf. When he came back to the tub, he rolled up his sleeves and dipped the washcloth in the water. "Tell me if I'm pressing too hard or hurting you in any way."

Aria didn't verbally respond. She just nodded.

She watched Ezra's hands intently as she ran the washcloth all over her body. He avoided her stitches by a few inches and hesitated each time his hand came to a more intimate part of her body. Aria knew that he kept looking to her for the approval to touch her there, but she never looked at him to give him an answer. In the end, he washed her there anyway.

The cool water felt good against her skin as it took away the greasy, grimy feeling she'd had all day. She was kind of sad when Ezra pulled the washcloth away from her and began wringing it out at the opposite end of the tub.

"I figure it'd be easier to wash your hair in the sink than in the tub," Ezra said as he began lifting her up. "We'll get you dressed, then I'll pull the chair over the sink so I can do that."

Once again, Aria didn't respond verbally. She just nodded.

Ezra washed Aria's hair the same way he's washed her body. In silence. She could tell that he was frustrated by her sudden lack of communication, but she couldn't help herself. Like all good things, their afternoon of bliss had come to an end.

"All done," Ezra sighed, gently pushing Aria into the upright position. "Do you want me to dry your hair for you? I'd offer to do that twisty thing with the towel that girls do, but uh, I don't know how."

"I'll let it air dry," Aria mumbled.

"Alright," Ezra hooked his hands under her arms and picked her up so that she was standing, then turned her around to face the mirror. Aria flinched, but Ezra didn't notice. "There. All clean. Crazy how a bath can make you feel and look better." The comment was supposed to be uplifting. However, it just made Aria burst into tears.

Her reflection was worse than she anticipated. She didn't even look like Aria anymore. The last time she remembered looking that mutilated was right after she'd gotten out of the dollhouse. The bruises, the gashes, the dislocations. Everything seemed to match up perfectly.

Startled by her reaction, Ezra spun her into his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Aria, oh my God, what's wrong, honey?" He stroked her wet hair as she snot on his shirt.

"I…" She tried. "I…look…I look…" Her breathing was ragged. "That's not me in the mirror." Her limbs began to shake.

"Okay, okay," Ezra positioned himself to pick her up again. "C'mon, let's go sit down."

Her crying intensified as he carried her to the bed. Wren used to do the same thing when she was unable to move.

"Aria, you're banged up, but you'll heal," Ezra tried to reassure her. "You're still beautiful."

"It's not about being beautiful, Ezra!" She yelled. "This is about…" Her chest heaved. "So much more."

"Tell me what it's about," Ezra cooed. "Maybe I can help."

"You can't!" Aria tried to scoot away from his embrace, but failed. Suddenly, she felt as if she were chains again. "You can't because it's all in the past."

"What do you mean?"

"If…If I had just told you about the dollhouse. If I had just told you everything…you…you would've taken me back. Then…then I wouldn't have been in this accident. Then this wouldn't have happened to me. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault." She was hysterical.

Ezra's eyes widened. Aria was having a panic attack. She had warned him about them, but he hadn't thought anything of it at the time. She hadn't had one over in three months. Why would she have one now?

"Just…just like the dollhouse. The dollhouse. It was all my fault. If I hadn't…." She couldn't finish her sentence before she erupted into uncontrollable sobs that deregulated her breathing.

"Aria, breathe. Breathe, baby," Ezra didn't know what else to do besides tell her to perform a natural bodily function. "That wasn't your fault. None of this is your fault."

"How…how do you know?" She hissed through labored breathing. "You know…you know nothing about the dollhouse. You know nothing about…" She was hyperventilating now.

"Aria, you have to calm down," Ezra placed his hand on her back. "This isn't good for you. Especially not right now. Your body can't handle this."

"I…you…" Aria panted. "You don't know. You don't…know what I…can handle. I've…been through hell…"

"Yes, you have. And you're so strong, Aria," Ezra grabbed her hand. "You're so strong because of it. You're the strongest woman I know."

"You wouldn't be saying that if…if you knew," Aria's entire face was soaked with tears.

"Well, then tell me. Tell me what I don't know," Ezra knew that was an absurd thing to ask in the moment, but he didn't know what else to say.

"I can't," Aria shook her head. "I can't talk about it right now."

"Okay, I understand," Ezra frowned.

"But you need to know," Aria's voice shook with her sobs.

"I know, but if you can't tell me…"

"The journal," Aria pointed to the shelf where Ezra had stacker her journals. "I…I wrote about it in there."

Ezra had to resist the urge to say "I know." A couple of nights ago, when one of her journals fell onto the floor, it opened onto the first page Aria wrote about the dollhouse on. He had read the first few sentences, but forced himself to stop. Without Aria's permission, reading her journal was an invasion of privacy. If she'd found out, she would've been pissed. Their relationship could've officially ended right then and there. So he refrained from reading anything past the first paragraph. But now, since Aria was giving him her permission…

"The black one," Aria cried. "It's in there."

Ezra hesitantly moved from his place next to Aria to retrieve the journal.

"I want you to read it. Then you'll understand. It's all my fault. It's all my fault…"

Ezra flipped the book open, but kept his eyes on Aria. Her breathing was slowing back down, but he could see it in her eyes that she was still miles away from being okay. "Aria…"

"Just read it, Ezra," She snapped. "Silently." She added, making sure he knew not to utter one of her memories aloud. There was a reason they had her this fucked up.

"Okay," He whispered, casting his gaze downward to the page. His eyes were met with the swirly handwriting he'd grown accustomed to, but a string of words that were foreign to him. Well, foreign aside from the first paragraph. He took a deep breath, and began reading, leaving his broken girlfriend in the present for an even more broken version of her in the past.

 _The therapist at Radley thinks it'd be a good idea for me to write down my thoughts. She says I'm creative, therefore I need to find a creative outlet for my emotions. I don't draw. I don't paint. I don't make music. I write. So here it goes, I guess. This is what happened to me in the Dollhouse. A warning to anyone who reads this, it'll get graphic. Rated R, rated M, NSFW. All of the above. Not recommended for anyone under the age of 18. Too early for sarcasm? Oh well. Anyways, here it is. Try not to vomit, and I'll try not to cry._

 _I don't remember how I got there. I've been asked a million and one times by the doctors, the police, and even a couple of reporters. I guess they think I'm lying to protect myself or something. But it's the truth. The last thing I remember was talking to Wren outside of The Brew. I assume that's when he grabbed me…us._

 _I woke up in chains, half naked, with a blind fold over my eyes. I couldn't see a thing. Everything hurt. It felt like I'd been beaten with a baseball bat. Later I learned that nothing more than an iron fist touched my body. Well that, and a metal rod. Huh, the initial doctor examination was almost worse than the torture now that I think about it. Especially the rape kit. I told the doctors and my mother that Wren took my virginity. How could I tell them how I really lost it? He still raped me. What did it matter if I was a virgin or not? You'd think I would've learned to stop lying after this ordeal. Lying is part of what got me into this mess in the first place. I guess some habits die hard, and others are impossible to kill._

 _But I'm getting off topic. Or am I? It wasn't long after I woke up from my drug induced nap time that Wren raped me for the first time. He was so big that it was painful beyond belief. It felt like my vagina was being ripped in half. If I counted right, he fucked me a total of twelve times. But, my perception of time was so off, that I could be wrong. Maybe it was more. Maybe it was less._

 _I got used to it though. Each time he entered me hurt less than the last. I stopped crying, stopped fighting. I just let it happen. What else could I do? Pray to a God that doesn't exist? Ha, yeah right._

 _The rape became a casual occurrence. It's what happened next that threw me for a loop. I was reverse Pinocchio-ed. That's right, I was turned from a real girl into a wooden one. Well, one that was supposed to be wooden. He strung me up like a marionette. He dislocated every major joint in my body. My wrists, my elbows, my shoulders, my hips, and my knees. I was black and blue and swollen all over. My blood vessels popped, making my skin appear like an inverted road map. But Wren didn't like that. He wanted his dolls to be perfect. He made CeCe and Mona do my make up. They caked on the powder on every place that it hurt. Soon I became numb to it all._

 _For his final trick, Wren drove holes through my hands with some sort of steak. He wanted to be able to "make me wave to the audience" The audience that consisted of his two bitches. The doctors said there will barely be a scar once I heal. Too bad that can't suture up the mental wounds and tell me that those won't leave a scar either._

 _He played with us. He put on puppet shows with us. Had tea parties. Made us…_ interact _with each other for his own pleasure._

 _And if that wasn't enough, if we didn't behave, he'd lock us in a box, his 'toy chest' he called it, and make us listen to the sounds of people, possibly us, screaming as they were being tortured until our ears bled. I only visited the box once. I deserved to go in more, but Wren liked me. He said I was the most experienced when it came to sex. He didn't want to punish his favorite sex toy. He also thought I was the prettiest, and blood coming out of your ears isn't very attractive._

 _Mona and CeCe didn't do a whole lot other than take orders from Wren, but it was clear why they would want to. Both of them hated us. When Alison was alive, we bullied Mona to no end. CeCe and Ali were friends, but CeCe was always jealous of us. She thought we took Alison away from her. She thought we didn't do enough to protect her and that's why she ended up dead. It surprised me to find out that CeCe was the one who devised this plan seeing how she seems to just be a minion for Wren. But apparently, she went to Wren because he had the means, and the brain power to pull it off. He'd hated us since freshman year. Again, because of Alison. She used to call him and this boy, Lucas, hermaphrodites. She nicknamed him Hermy and we didn't stop her. We propelled her. I propelled her._

 _At the start of our friendship with Ali, I was the one who convinced all the other girls that it was okay to let Ali do what she wanted. I was so desperate to have friends that I didn't care if it meant being horrible towards other people. As long as I wasn't alone, I was in. I helped her come up with Hermy. I helped her humiliate Loser Mona. I pulled her away from CeCe because I was just as jealous. I had friends and I wasn't about to lose them by being a good person. Ali loved me for it. I wasn't going to let that go._

 _So maybe it's my fault that we got into this mess. If I had stood by the other girls and stood up for the ones Ali hurt, maybe the only bone CeCe, Mona, and Wren would have to pick would be with a dead girl and not her living best friends. It's all my fault. It's all my fault._

 _And maybe that's why I'm still here while all my friends got to go home. The universe is punishing me for being the catalyst…or at least being close to the catalyst. The doctors say it's because I'm the most damaged. I'm the worst off. But I still think it's karma. Funny, Hanna thought she'd be dealing with the karma of nearly killing us all by starting that fire down in the bunker, but in reality, she saved us. If she receives any karma at all, it'll be the good kind. I'm the one with another thing coming to me._

 _My hand hurts. I'm done for today. I don't know if I'll be back._

 _Bye._

 _-Aria_

Ezra closed the journal and wiped a tear from his eye before looking up at Aria, who was staring at him, just waiting for him to finish. "I understand," He croaked.

Aria hung her head, a few tears dotting on the yellow fabric and her skin as she did so.

"I understand. I understand why I've always seen you as the strongest woman I've ever met. I understand why I see you as the most forgiving woman that I've ever met. And I understand why I love you so goddamn much. You've been through absolute hell, yet you still manage to light up any room you walk into. You manage to put on a brave face and handle everything that's thrown your way. You know how to stand up for yourself and handle even the biggest assholes. I understand how you were able to control the Austin situation. You seemed so calm during that. I didn't know how you did it, but now…now I know. You survived Liam. I didn't know how you came out of that alive and happy, but you did, because you knew how to deal with people much worse than him," Ezra sniffed and cupped Aria's face in his hands. "And Aria, none of this was your fault. Not the dollhouse, not the accident. Things happen. Unfortunately, the world is full of evil, ignorant, and cruel people. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time for all of those things. It is not your fault. And even if it was, you have to forgive yourself. You can't change what happened. All you can do is move forward."

Aria blinked back her tears and drew a few uneven breaths before speaking. "Will you help me move forward? I don't think I can without you."

"Of course," Ezra kissed her nose gently. "I will help you until you ask me not to."

"That'll never happen," Aria laughed despite herself.

"Then I'm here for you…forever."

 **A/N: What? I uploaded before I said I would? Crazy. You can thank the horrible floods in Houston that have shut down schools for this update. And speaking of this update, what did you think? It was super long. Longest chapter of them all. A lot happened. There was some fluff, some talk of babies, a panic attack, and you finally found out what went down in the dollhouse. Let me know what you thought by reviewing! The next chapter is the last normal chapter before the epilogue. I'll probably upload on Sunday. In the mean time, review, review, review! I love y'all's reviews! Thanks for reading!**

 **-Erin xoxo**

 **PS: I will be writing another story after this one is done, so don't worry. There will be a replacement for Rumor Has It, haha.**


	24. Chapter 24

*Eleven weeks later*

"So how does it feel to be a free woman?" Ezra joked from the driver's seat as he pulled away from Aria's doctor's office.

He was referring to the fact that Aria no longer had to wear a big, bulky, metal brace on her hip. Out of all of her injuries, her hip had taken the longest to heal. She was out of her sling just one week after being released from the hospital. The bandages on her arm for her road burn came off a few days after that. Her busted lip and lacerated temple closed up completely within four weeks of the accident. But her hip, that was thing that seemed like it would never heal.

Eleven weeks confined in a cylindrical metal hell. That's seventy-seven days. One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight hours. One hundred and ten thousand eight hundred eighty minutes. Over six million seconds. But it wasn't like she was counting.

"Lighter," Aria lifted her leg as best she could from her position in the passenger seat causing Ezra to laugh. "I'm excited to be able to use the stairs again. And to not need crutches to get around. And to not need your help standing up all the time. Oh, and to be able to take showers alone and in the upright position," Aria's tone mimicked that of a child's who was listing what characters they were going to visit first at Disney World.

"You don't like showering with me?" Ezra pouted playfully.

"Not when it can't lead to anything more," Aria winked. At her own mention of sex, her face lit up, "I'm also excited to be able to make love to you again." She snaked her hand over to Ezra's thigh and began palming him through his jeans.

"Aria," Ezra sighed, reaching down to brush off her eager hand. "I don't think that doing _that_ is such a good idea. I think we should hold off until you've been cleared by your doctor, or at least your physical therapist."

"I'll ask him today," Aria shrugged. "Yeah, after the session, when he walks me out to the front to meet you, I'll just grab your hand and bat my eyes and say, 'Dr. Butler, it's been over eleven weeks since me and my boyfriend have been able to fuck each other and we really want to. My jaw's getting tired of constantly sucking him off when he's horny because I haven't really been able to do anything else. Do you think I'm ready to get back in bed with him yet? We won't play rough, I promise.'" By the end of her fake conversation with her doctor, Aria was almost doubled over from laughter.

Ezra rolled his eyes, "Let's get one thing straight, you offered the blowjobs. I never asked. So don't make it seem like it's a tedious chore you _had_ to do." He reached his arm across Aria's chest and pushed her gently back against her seat so that he could see around her in order to turn a corner. "But ultimately, I think that's something you could leave out when you do ask him."

"I wonder what he's going to have me do today," Aria leaned her head back against the head rest and let it loll to the side, her demeanor suddenly calmer and more mature.

When Aria was discharged from the hospital, her doctors referred her to a physical therapist to keep her semi-active while she healed. Her first appointment with Dr. Butler was mainly just talking. They talked about her prior work out regiments, which consisted only of walking her dog Jack whenever she got the chance, her diet, all of her previous injuries, including the ones from the dollhouse, and oddly enough, her relationship with Ezra. Aria wondered if that part of their first meeting was less professional and more social. But the man was like 60, so he couldn't be hitting on her…right?

Once she got her sling off, Dr. Butler had her do exercises to improve range and mobility in her shoulder. All of them hurt like a bitch, a few brought Aria to tears, but they all worked tremendously in the long run. Because of that, Aria couldn't help but wonder if the therapy would be the same for her hip. The minute the orthopedic doctor took the brace off of her, she could tell she was stiffer and less flexible than she had been before the accident, so it was safe to say she _needed_ the same kind of attention in her hip that was given to her shoulder. She just wasn't sure if she _wanted_ it.

"Maybe just walk around, see how you're doing out of the brace," Ezra suggested, then smirked. "Clear you to have sex if you're really lucky."

Aria huffed out a short laugh, "I just don't want it to hurt."

Ezra squinted, trying to figure out what she meant, "You don't want what to hurt, exactly?"

"The therapy, not the sex," Aria giggled. "I know you'll be gentle. Dr. Butler, not so much."

"Well it's kind of his job to be rough with you. If he was gentle, you wouldn't get better," Ezra flicked his blinker on as he rolled to a stop in the turn lane that would take them to Dr. Butler's office.

Aria placed her elbow on the window ledge and leaned her head against her hand dramatically, "I know, but I still don't want it to hurt. I think I'd be crazy if I was looking forward to the pain."

"Well if he hurts you, I'll take you out to get ice cream after the appointment. Sound good?" The car lurched forward as Ezra pressed on the gas the second the light turned green.

"Because ice cream makes everything better," Aria sighed sarcastically.

"So you don't want the ice cream?" Ezra asked in a tone that suggested he already knew her answer.

"No," Aria bit her lip, trying to stop herself from grinning, "I want the ice cream."

"That's what I thought," Ezra chuckled as he whipped the car into a parking space. "Do you need help getting out or can you do it on your own now?"

"I think I got it," Aria unbuckled her seat belt, but stopped her movements to reach for Ezra's hand.

"Change your mind?" Ezra displayed an expression of concern on his face as he stared at Aria intently.

"No, I'm okay," Aria shook her head, wearing a tight lipped smile to prove that she really was fine. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what?' I haven't bought the ice cream yet. For all you know, I could drop it on the way back to the car," Ezra smiled like an idiot at the mental image he's just painted for himself.

"For driving me everywhere these past few months," Aria started. "For waiting on me while I'm in an appointment. For helping me bathe every single night. For holding me when I'm in pain and offering to buy me ice cream to help ease it. For never complaining, not even once, about having to stop what you're doing to help me. And for putting me above work, when I know how much you love that job."

Every word out of Aria's mouth was a sincere statement of gratitude. And all of it was true. Ezra drove her literally everywhere while she was injured. She had a doctor appointment in the middle of the day? Ezra took off work and drove her there. She needed to buy tampons, but didn't trust Ezra to buy the right kind? Ezra loaded her in the car and took her to the nearest drug store. She wanted to go to the local pet fair in the park on a rainy Sunday? Ezra helped her into her raincoat and started his engine. And every night, when Aria would declare she was ready to bathe, Ezra would close his laptop and help her out, no if, ands, or buts about it. He never asked her to wait on him to finish doing something before he helped her. He never asked her to find someone else to take her to an appointment because he was busy working. Any time Aria needed Ezra, he was there with a smile on his face, ready to do whatever she asked.

Growing up, Aria was always told the perfect man didn't exist. That perfection was reserved for fairy tales, for princesses and for princes. And that there was no such thing as a real life Prince Charming. But Ezra was debunking all of those claims. What he'd recently done for her was perfect. He was perfect. He was her Prince Charming.

"Well you know I love you more than that job," Ezra squeezed her hand before bringing it up to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "And you know that there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, right?"

"I do now," Aria leaned across the center console and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Good," Ezra sighed once their lips parted.

Aria traced Ezra's profile with her fingers and stared into his baby blues for a brief moment before adding seductively, "You've been such an amazing boyfriend. Hopefully ice cream won't be the only treat you and I get to enjoy this afternoon."

"God, I hope not," Ezra laughed, kissing Aria once more before pulling away to exit the car. "Let's go find out, shall we?"

Line break

She was cleared to have sex, as long as they were mindful of her limits.

When Dr. Butler told them the news, Aria was elated. Ezra couldn't stop smiling. The two could barely keep their hands off of each other the whole ride home, in which there were no stops for ice cream…they were too excited.

Eleven weeks, twelve if they counted the week Aria was M.I.A., without physical intimacy. It had been incredibly hard, especially when Aria was sleeping at Ezra's every single night due to the inability to live alone while injured. To say they were merely aching for one another was an understatement. They were in desperate need of release. It was almost painful.

She was cleared to have sex, as long as they were mindful of her limits…which they would be. Nothing too rough. Nothing too complicated. Just slow, passionate love making, much like their first time had been. It may not make Aria scream, but she didn't need to at the moment. She just needed Ezra. And he needed her.

She was cleared to have sex, as long as they were mindful of her limits. She was cleared to have sex. She could do this. The doctors said it was okay. That's all she could think about on the ride home. _Be careful, but have fun. It'll be amazing._ But it wasn't. It wasn't amazing at all. At least not for Aria.

She thought she'd be soaked by the time she and Ezra got back to his apartment. She wasn't. She thought she'd orgasm within the first two minutes. She couldn't. She thought they'd be going in for another round after they caught their breath. She didn't want to.

Aria was as dry as the Sahara Desert. She hoped the foreplay would warm her up, but it didn't. Despite her want to be intimate with Ezra again, Aria just wasn't in the mood. She just hoped Ezra wouldn't notice.

"You're not into this at all, are you?" Ezra's head reappeared from underneath the sheets, his lips slightly swollen from going down on her for the past five minutes. _Damn, busted._

"Not really," Aria blushed. "I'm so sorry, Ez. I don't know what came over me. Maybe I'm just thinking too much. I don't know. But you can continue if you want. I know this isn't fair for you."

Ezra shook his head and repositioned himself so that he was lying beside her and at eye level, "No way. Babe, you aren't even a little bit wet. If I continued, not only would it be boring for you, it'd also be painful. I'm not going to do that to you."

"But…"  
"No, it's fine. We'll try again later," Ezra shrugged. "You're probably right. You're probably just over thinking it. It's been awhile, plus we have to be careful. Sometimes our thoughts speak too loudly for our bodies to enjoy what's going on around us." He wrapped his arm around Aria's waist and pulled her close to him.

Aria snuggled into him and sighed, "We skipped getting ice cream for this."

Ezra laughed loudly, startling Aria. "Do you still want to get some? I mean, it's not like we're doing anything anyways."

"Is that a real offer?" Aria asked, her tone slightly more eager than she'd anticipated.

"Yeah," Ezra shrugged.

"Oh my God, I love you," Aria hugged Ezra as best she could from her current positon. "C'mon, let's go!"

Aria ripped the sheets off her body and began racing around the room trying to gather her clothes. Ezra watched, entertained by her playfulness and in awe of her practically flawless naked body, before moving off the bed himself. The accident had left her scarred in a few places, but she wore her wounds well. They looked as if they had always been there, like they were _supposed_ to be there.

"You're pretty excited to get a treat you can only have like one flavor of," Ezra teased, slipping on his boxers.

"They make vegan ice cream in chocolate, vanilla, _and_ strawberry. That's three flavors, thank you very much," Aria rolled her eyes as she stepped into her panties.

"Okay, smartass. You know what I meant," Ezra chided. "You can't get the good flavors like Rocky Road or Oreo."

"I enjoyed those flavors before I was vegan," Aria pulled on her shorts as she explained. "But I'm a plain Jane kind of girl. My favorite has always been vanilla."

"You're a weirdo," Ezra yanked his shirt over his head and clucked his tongue.

"But I'm your weirdo," Aria winked before bending over to retrieve her tank top.

"Indeed."

Line Break

There was an old timey ice cream parlor just up the street from Ezra's apartment, called Sal's. It had the black and white tile floor, the vinyl seating, the shimmery bar and neon signs behind it, and a refurbished juke box in the corner by the bathrooms that played surprisingly modern tunes. The staff all wore matching uniforms and aprons and used words like "nifty" when they talked to younger customers.

Ezra had only taken Aria there once before the accident and she'd fallen in love, and of course, made a joke about their age difference by asking Ezra if Sal's looked anything like the authentic shops from his childhood. He didn't find it very amusing, but she did. And if the opportunity presented itself, she'd joke about it again this time around.

The two sat across from one another in a booth near the back, eating their ice cream and observing the other couples in the establishment. Ezra hadn't forgotten about Aria's ability to figure a person out just by watching them for a little bit, and often liked to exploit her "power" when they were out together as a form of entertainment. Aria didn't mind. Like she once told Ezra, she found that kind of thing to be fun.

"Okay, see that couple over there? The teenagers?" Aria discreetly pointed to a boy and a girl sitting on the same side of their booth and sharing a milkshake, across the room. Ezra nodded. "So the girl, she's obviously not too modest. I mean, yeah, it's summer, but she gave everyone a show when she walked in here in those shorts. Nothing wrong with that, but it just seems odd because the boy she's with seems like the complete opposite. He's got a cross around his neck and a Revival t-shirt on. Maybe this is a first date? But they're holding hands under the table, so whichever number date this is for them, it's going well. He's…holy shit. Look who just walked in."

Aria clamped her lips shut and turned her focus to the man and woman who just entered the parlor hand in hand. Ezra turned, looking over his shoulder briefly, then back at Aria with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Isn't that the girl you hired to replace me?" Aria whispered as if they could hear her from the other side of the room.

"Yes," Ezra filled his spoon with ice cream and took a bite. "That is Shelby McManus, our new PR rep."

"And she's here, holding hands with Liam?" Aria's eyebrows were practically at her hairline. How could Ezra be so calm about this?

"It appears so," Ezra took another bite of his dessert.

"Wait," It clicked in Aria's mind. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes," Ezra nodded, avoiding eye contact.

"And you haven't, I don't know, told HR?" Aria leaned back and folded her arms over he chest.

"Nope," Ezra stabbed his frozen treat with his spoon.

"And why not?" Aria huffed.

"Because it'd be a little hypocritical, don't you think?" Ezra laughed harshly.

"Not anymore," Aria hissed. "I don't work for you anymore. And in case you forgot, Liam's the reason for that. He's the catalyst for everything that went wrong a few months ago."

"Of course I didn't forget. But we still dated and Liam found out. And even thought he threatened to, he never said anything. He had more than enough chances to take our situation to HR, but he didn't. Plus, I kind of owe him. He drove me to the hospital to see you," Ezra finally met Aria's eyes, but instantly wished he hadn't. Her eyes were practically black and willing Hell's fury upon him.

"So he was nice one time and you figure that's enough?" Aria raised an eyebrow.

"When that kindness helped me see you faster, yes," Ezra lowered his voice. "I didn't report you and Liam when I figured that out during my first couple of weeks at Rockstream."

"That's because you had a crush on me," Aria rolled her eyes.

"The reason doesn't matter. I didn't do it and that's that." Ezra smirked, "I think you're being rather hypocritical yourself, Ar. I mean, rumor has it that _you're_ pretty prone to office romances too. It isn't just me and Liam."

"That's not true," Aria laughed. "I've been at Caldwell and Press for a whole month and haven't banged even one of my coworkers."

Despite how messy her departure from Rockstream was, Aria was able to find another job at Rockstream's rival company as an editor fairly quickly after her accident. But due to her injuries, she had been mostly working from home, making her argument weak and invalid.

Ezra smiled, "That's because you haven't technically gone into the office. And you have boyfriend."

"Oh, right," Aria stuck her spoon between her teeth and pretended to have forgotten Ezra existed. "I forgot about him."

"Ha, ha," Ezra stuck out his tongue.

Aria giggled before turning her attention to her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, who were ordering at the counter, completely unaware of their boss's presence. Just as she was about to call out Liam's name to freak him as payback for consistently being a dick to her, Ezra began talking…or singing rather.

"Happiness was just outside my window. I thought it'd crash blowing eighty miles an hour," He drifted off, noticing Aria's gaze.

"Why are you singing that?" Her question came off a bit snappy, which she immediately regretted as she watched Ezra face fall slightly.

"Can't you hear it? It's playing from the juke box," He muttered.

She couldn't. Well, she didn't. Once Ezra pointed it out, Aria could hear the soft chords lilting throughout the parlor. "Oh."

"Yeah," Ezra sighed. "Our song."

"This song was playing on the radio just before I crashed," Aria admitted, hoping that it wouldn't ruin Ezra's love for it, but feeling the need to tell him regardless.

"Oh," Ezra shifted his eyes onto the floor. "I can get up and go change it if you want. I've got a couple of quarters."

"No, no," Aria shook her head. "I still like the song. Like you said, it's our song. It's just that it kind of brings me back to that day in a way."

Ezra didn't say anything. He just stared into his bowl of ice cream that was quickly becoming soup and bit his lip.

"Is it weird that I consider that day a blessing? It it fucked me up pretty badly, but in the end, it brought us back together. Maybe quicker than if it hadn't happened?" Aria attempted to lighten the mood with something she'd thought about a lot. If it wasn't for the crash, Ezra would've never came to see her that night. He wouldn't have stayed by her side for weeks on end, forcing them to talk since they were each other's only company. He would've never called her mom, which meant she would've never brought her journals to them, meaning Ezra would've never gotten to read about the dollhouse. The fact that Aria needed constant attention once she got to go home, meant the two had more than enough time to talk everything out. They started off small, apologizing for their petty and downright stubborn attitudes. She was sorry for this; he was sorry for that. Once they moved on from that, they were able to get into the deeper stuff. The trust issues. The secrets they kept from one another. It took weeks. It took a lot of crying and sleepless nights. But they did it. And now, they were stronger and happier than ever.

"I've thought about that too," Ezra shrugged. "I can't say that I'm glad it happened, but I am grateful for it, in a way."

"Yeah," Aria cooed. "Me too."

The two smiled warily at one another, both feeling an odd sense of uneasiness and gratefulness in the pits of their stomachs. The accident _was_ a blessing in disguise, but they both could've done without the nearly dying and broken bones.

"I love you," Ezra said suddenly, his eyes locked on Aria's.

"I love you, too," Aria mused.

"Oh, shit, Fitz is here with his girlfriend," The far off cry of Liam broke the couple from their love trance and caused them to laugh profusely.

"Don't turn around, just let him freak out and try to escape," Aria giggled, placing her hand on Ezra's cheek and pressing on it to ensure his eyes stayed on her.

"Or, we could start to get up to leave to watch him shit himself," Ezra thought aloud with a diabolic glint in his eye. "I mean, both of our desserts have turned to soup, we should probably head home anyway."

Aria hesitated. _Home_ was such an ambiguous term now. For the past eleven weeks, _home_ meant Ezra's apartment. But now that Aria was well enough to live on her own, she wasn't sure what Ezra was referring to. "Home? Mine or yours?"

"What do you mean?" Ezra pulled Aria's bowl to him and dumped the remainder of its contents into his bowl, then stacked them on top of one another.

"Are you talking about my apartment or yours? Because, well, now that I have my brace off, I can live alone." Aria wanted to add that just because she _could_ live alone didn't mean she _wanted_ to.

"I was talking about my apartment," Ezra answered. "But uh, do…do you want me to take you to yours?" His tone suggested that he wanted Aria to say no. He had grown accustomed to her living with him and didn't want it to end.

"Not really," Aria admitted.

"Oh okay," Ezra tried to hide his smile, but failed miserably.

"Jack probably misses me though," Aria picked at her nail, pretending to really be thinking about her dog's wants and where she wanted to go. "But my apartment probably looks like shit. It needs to be cleaned. My lease is up next month and the landlord likes to do inspections whenever we renew our leases, so I'll need to make it look at least half-way presentable for that." The more she babbled, the more she wanted Ezra to step in. She was only saying these things so that Ezra would ask her the one question she wanted to be asked.

"Don't worry about," Ezra stopped her abruptly. "Like, uh, don't worry about cleaning for your lease. Just don't sign it again."

Aria bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from smirking. He'd taken the bait. "But if I don't sign the lease…"

"Move in with me," Ezra offered as an uncertain, boyish grin appeared on his lips.

"Wait really?" Aria feigned shock.

"Yeah, we've been together for almost six months. You've been living at my place for almost three of them. Move in with me. I love having you around all the time," Ezra's voice shook. He was nervous about asking. Or maybe he was nervous about taking this big of a step with her. Either way, he was nervous.

"Can Jack come?" Aria asked like a little girl who couldn't live without her dog.

"Of course," Ezra chuckled. "He…he is house broken right? I can't have him staining my carpet."

"Yes," Aria giggled. "But he might pee when he meets you. He does that around new people and men."

"Great," Ezra rolled his eyes. "I can't wait."

"Hey, Liam's gone," Aria pointed out, her eyes focused on the entrance behind him. "Still want to go… _home?"_

"That depends," Ezra smirked. "What are we going to do when we get there?"

Aria felt tingles run down her spine, butterflies erupt in her stomach, and heat rise in her cheeks…and somewhere else. Finally, she was in the mood that she should've been earlier. "Well, you'll have to wait to find out."

The sultry tone of her voice told Ezra all he needed to know. He grinned and jumped out of the seat, grabbing their bowls to discard in the trash can in one hand and extending out the other to help Aria up.

The two walked out of the parlor, hand in hand, giddy from the promise of sex, but also giddy from something else. Love? Commitment? Adoration? All of the above.

After Liam, Aria had felt useless and dirty. Like she was some slut who didn't deserve real love. After Katelyn, Ezra felt guilty and broken. He was just an angry alcoholic who'd driven his wife away and ultimately caused her death. But then, by some miracle, by some twist of fate, Aria and Ezra found each other. Ezra made Aria feel important and pure, even when she swore she wasn't. Aria made Ezra feel whole and free of his past mistakes, like he had a chance to start over again. They were each other's second chances. Sure their relationship didn't start off the way it should've. There were too many secrets, too many things they held back from the public and from each other. But that was in the past now. This was now. This love, this commitment, this adoration. It was now. And they hoped it'd be forever.

 **A/N: Here you go. The last chapter of Rumor Has It. There's an epilogue still to come, hopefully by Thursday, but this was the last real chapter of the story. I want to thank you guys so much for reading. You have no idea how much it means to me. Y'all's reviews mean the world to me and I'm so thankful for each and everyone of you guys. This was the first story I've ever posted online and I am so overwhelmed by the amount of love it's received. I'm sad to let this story go, but I'm excited to start the new one. Anyways, please let me know your thoughts on this chapter by reviewing! Like I said, those reviews mean the world to me. Hope y'all have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. And I hope you'll stick around for my next story.**

 **-Erin xoxo**


	25. Chapter 25

Six months into their relationship, Aria and Ezra moved in together. They converted his bachelor pad into a cozy, slightly more feminine home for two. They divvied up the household chores, Aria tended to the bathrooms, the kitchen, and the laundry, while Ezra cleaned the living room, the office, and the dirty dishes. And the each discovered the annoying little quirks that every person has, but no one sees until they're shoved into a space and told to live together in harmony. There was a fight here over a loaded dishwasher and an argument there about underwear on the bedroom floor, but they all ended with a hug, a kiss, and if they were up for it, something a little more fun and adult.

Four months later, when November rolled around, the couple took their very first vacation together. Both of their offices shut down for a week at Thanksgiving, giving them plenty of time to hop on a plane and go exploring in a foreign country. They chose Iceland. Since Aria had spent a year of her high school career there, she took Ezra to all of the more downplayed local hangouts and showed him the best hiking trails during the day. At night, the two relaxed in a hot spring and watched the Northern Lights until they were so tired that they were about to pass out.

Two months and some odd days after that was their one-year anniversary. The day started with breakfast in bed, prepared by Ezra, and ended at the little hole in the wall Chinese restaurant that pushed them to begin their relationship all those months ago. Well…that's where their day ended _publically._

And exactly one year and ten months since they got together, Ezra proposed. Aria came home from a rather stressful day at work to a candle lit apartment and Ezra in the middle of the living room, shaking from head to toe. His voice wavered as he confessed his undying love for her. His ducts filled with water when he talked about the ways that she'd changed him for the better, and he wasn't alone. Aria began bawling the minute she realized what was happening. Her tears blurred her vision so much that when Ezra got down on one knee and opened the ring box, she couldn't actually tell what the ring looked like. It was only after she said yes and calmed down that she was able to honestly tell him that she thought the ring was beautiful.

The next day, the wedding planning began. In one week, they'd picked a date. September 1st. Aria originally wanted their wedding in February, the month that they'd always celebrated their love in. However, Ezra's last wedding had been in March, and he preferred something a little further away than the month before. Finding a new date wasn't too difficult of a task. Something significant had happened in almost every month of of their relationship. The began talking in January. They started dating in February. They say 'I love you' for the first time in March. Aria got into the car wreck in May. They moved in together in July. Ezra met and clicked with her friends in August. Aria met his parents in October. They went to Iceland in November. And Ezra popped the question in December. The only months that had been rather uneventful for them were April, June, and September. April was out because of its' proximity to March and the anniversary of Katelyn's death at the beginning of the month. June was out. It would be too hot. September it was.

However, five weeks after their engagement, every plan they had made was derailed and their little world of peace and bliss came to a grinding stop. Aria missed her period. Suddenly, everything changed. Instead of picking out their wedding colors, they picked out potential baby names. Appointments with tailors became appointments with Aria's OB/GYN. The extra room in their apartment that had been designated as the office was cleaned out and turned into a nursery. The money that they had put back for their wedding was transferred into a start up college fund. Suddenly, nothing they did was for themselves; it was all for the tiny human growing inside of Aria's belly.

The couple postponed their wedding indefinitely for the sake of their sanity. There was no way that they could plan an extravagant wedding _and_ prepare for their first born child without going absolutely nuts.

But oddly enough, that year September _did_ become a significant month for the two parents-to-be, just not for the reason they initially thought. The date that they'd picked for their wedding just so happened to be the date that their precious daughter, Daisy Elaine Fitz, was born.

Three years later, five years after they began dating, Aria and Ezra had a beautiful, happy, and healthy toddler running around, leaving a trail of toys behind her wherever she went. They had a nice house in the suburbs, great jobs, and a wonderful home life. As far as Ezra was concerned, they had no problems, no troubles at all. As far as Aria was concerned, there was only _one_ problem. Five years together, three years engaged…and Aria was still the only Montgomery in a house full of Fitz's.

*Five years from the start*

"Daisy, we are _not_ getting all of this stuff," Aria shook her head, slightly amused and also a little frightened by her three-year-old daughter's ability to rack up a bill in one shopping trip. "Pick out your favorites and put the others back."

"But they're all my favorites," Daisy pouted and batted the baby blue eyes that's she miraculously inherited from her father.

"Nice puppy dog face. That only works on your daddy though," Aria smirked. Ezra swore he wouldn't be the push-over parent, but three years and two hundred stuffed animals later, it was clear to see that he had succumb to the inevitable. "Put some stuff back."

"Okay," Daisy huffed, rolling her eyes and crossing her little arms over her chest. Aria grimaced at the toddler's actions. She officially had a "three-nager" on her hands and she didn't like it one bit. Ezra said that Daisy was just acting like her mother. Aria swore she behaved better than that in the presence of her child.

Aria watched her daughter contemplate which of the seven shirts and dresses she wanted to put back on the rack. She was just like Ezra in times like this. The way she stared intently at the items, as if they'd _tell_ her which one to choose if she looked hard enough. The way she'd scrunch up her nose and tap on her lip. Just. Like. Daddy.

Daisy reached out a little fist, grabbed one of the shirts from the pile, and thrust it toward her mother, "This one. Put it back please."

"Uh, no," Aria took the tiny t-shirt into her own hands and set it in her lap. "You have to get this one because mommy said so. You're going to wear it tonight when daddy gets home. We're going to surprise him, remember?"

Aria had been keeping the secret for a week now, trying to come up with the best way to break it to her fiancé. She wanted her delivery to be cute and creative, the complete opposite of what she had done the last time this happened. She wasn't sure that telling her three-year-old a secret so big before telling the grown man she'd trust with her life was such a good idea, but it had to be done. She had to coax Daisy into turning off Sofia the First and coming with her to the mall somehow.

"But why _that_ shirt?" Daisy whined.

"Because of what it says," Aria held it up as if her daughter could read it. "It says, Best Big Sister. When daddy reads your shirt, he'll know that mommy is going to have another baby." _And that he'll have to cancel our reservations for the ballroom at the art museum that we're supposed to get married in in four months._

Aria cried multiple times during her first pregnancy because they had to postpone their wedding. Most of it was the unbalanced hormones, but some of it was real feelings. She wanted to be Ezra's wife more than anything. Of course, she was happy about having his baby, she just wished she could share his last name in the delivery room.

Eventually, Aria got over it and accepted the facts. The wedding was just going to have to wait. And once she had Daisy, the wedding got pushed so far back into her brain that she almost forgot about it until she would catch a glimpse of the $5,000 rock on her finger, just waiting to be exchanged for a real wedding ring.

Last summer, they decided they were _finally_ ready to tie the knot. They set a date. June 23rd. But just like last time, an overactive sex drive and miracle of life would get in the way. And even though Aria was excited to bare Ezra's second child, she was frustrated with the timing.

"Why does daddy need to know?" Daisy asked. "We can keep it a secret like when he lets me eat ice cream and then says not to tell mommy."

Aria raised an eyebrow and smirked. Someone was getting in trouble tonight. "He lets you eat ice cream when I'm not around?" Aria was trying to raise Daisy as a vegan, but thanks to Ezra, was failing miserably.

"No," Daisy backtracked.

"Oh okay," Aria rolled her eyes, suddenly becoming vey aware of where her daughter got her sassy attitude from. "Well, unlike the ice cream, we have to tell daddy about this because it'll make him very happy. He'll be so excited that he won't be able to wait for me to have you baby brother or sister in nine months."

"How far away is nine months?" Daisy asked, her brows knitted in confusion. At three,

the toddler had no concept of time.

"November," Aria speculated. She hadn't been to any doctors yet, so she wasn't sure of her exact due date. "Thanksgiving," She clarified when she noticed the confusion on the little girl's face.

This news bewildered Daisy. "Why does it take so long?"

"Well," Aria started, placing her hands on her stomach. "The baby is really, really tiny right now. They have to grow inside of mommy's belly until they're big enough to come out into the real world and that takes time."

Daisy chewed on her lip and stared at her mother's stomach. Aria braced herself for the question that was about to come out of her mouth. "How did the baby get in your tummy? Did you eat it?"

Aria laughed. Three-year-old logic would never cease to amaze her. Once in the car, Daisy came up with a long winded explanation as to why the sky was blue. Aria zoned out during most of it and let Ezra do the wowing and tell-me-more-ing, but she remembered her saying something about mermaids swimming up, out of the ocean and into the sky because Princess Ariel's dad told them that the Sun King was very thirsty and wanted water and only the mermaids could make the mission to the Sun because of their special sunglasses that wouldn't make them go blind when they stared at it. To Daisy, that was just science. To Aria and Ezra, that was absolute nonsense that proved she was just as creative as both of her parents.

"No Buggie, I didn't eat it," Aria used the nickname that Ezra gave to Daisy when she was just eight weeks old. He said she reminded him of a delicate lady bug, so he began calling her Daisy Bug. That eventually turned into 'Buggie'. "I, uh, well, when you're an adult and with someone that you love very, very much, God decides to put a baby in your tummy to make your family grow and be even happier than it already is."

When Aria got pregnant with Daisy, she and Ezra sat down and had a serious conversation about how they would raise her. What kind of rules they would set, what kinds of mainstream techniques they would and wouldn't use, etc. The topic of religion was brought up by Ezra. At the time, Aria hadn't fully committed to Christianity, but she certainly wasn't an Atheist. He wanted to know what Aria's opinions were on raising Daisy the way he'd been raise, in a Catholic church. After week of thinking about it, Aria decided that raising her daughter in a church was something she did want. Ever since then, Aria has been going to Sunday services and living the life she never thought she would. And to her surprise, she loved it.

"Oh," Daisy nodded. "Okay, we can keep that shirt."

Line Break

Much to Aria's dismay, Ezra was already home by the time the two girls arrived back from their shipping spree. He had been out golfing with a few of his buddies and Aria had thought he'd stay out until three or four in the afternoon. But here he was, unloading his clubs from the trunk of his car at half past one.

But despite her annoyance by her possibly foiled plan, Aria couldn't help but to smile at her man as he bent over to pick up the set of keys that he dropped, giving her the perfect view of his ass. He was 37 now, but she still thought he looked just as good as he had when he was on the right side of 30. He still had the stamina of his 32-year-old self too, that was for sure.

"Daddy!" Daisy screeched, jumping out of the car and taking off in a sprint towards her sweaty father.

"Daisy Bug!" Ezra grinned, holding his arms out and waiting until Daisy got close enough before scooping her up and holding her tight. "How's my favorite girl?" He placed several kisses to her chubby cheeks, making her squeal and giggle at the same time.

"Mommy and me went shopping!" Daisy pointed to Aria, who was left lugging all of their purchases up the driveway by herself.

"You did?" Ezra bounced her in his arms. "And what did you two buy?"

Aria's heart stopped. If Daisy couldn't keep the ice cream secret, there was no way in hell she'd be able to keep the baby secret. This was it. This was how Ezra was going to find out about his second kid.

"Clothes," Daisy simply said. "Lots of them."

Ezra directed his attention to his fiancée and raised his eyebrows, "And how much did we spend today?"

"Oh, don't even go there with me, Mr. I'll-buy-my-daughter-a-One-Hundred-Dollar-Barbie-dream-house-just-because," Aria clucked her tongue. "Besides, once you see what I bought her, you won't care."

"Did you buy anything for yourself?" Ezra lowered his voice, trying to convey to Aria what he was asking without giving his daughter the green light to ask what he meant.

"No," Aria leaned up and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. "Daisy wouldn't make as great of a judge as you do."

In Iceland, Aria snuck Ezra into the dressing room of some exotic sex shop and let him watch as she tried on costumes and skimpy lingerie. The two ended up fuckin against the wall and were asked to leave the store by the manager once they were done. It was awkward to say the least, but the adrenaline rush was addicting. When they came back to the states, Aria snuck Ezra in to a Victoria's Secret dressing room as well as a couple of other dressing rooms in various stores. However, to avoid being arrested for public indecency, the couple kept their hands to themselves and Ezra just observed and gave his opinion. It was still fun, it was still a rush, and it always ended in Aria getting something new to wear for Ezra that night.

Ezra chuckled, then looked back at his daughter, "Well, in that case, it'll be a Daisy only fashion show. Why don't we go inside and you can model everything you bought for me?"

"Okay!" Daisy's face lit up. She loved to be the center of attention. And though that was common for kids her age, Aria feared that she wouldn't grow out of it, which would make getting a new sibling a nightmare.

With his free arm, Ezra picked up his golf bag and then led the small family inside their house.

Ezra set up a 'runway' in the living room by lining pillows up on the floor in two parallel lines and taking the shade off of one lamp to make a spotlight, while Aria got Daisy dressed in her first outfit in her bedroom, only to be shoed out into the 'audience' once she was finished.

"And now, modelling her new…" Ezra trailed off, looking toward Aria for help.

"Dress," She whispered.

"Her new dress, here is Daisy Fitz!" Ezra announced from the couch where he and Aria sat.

Daisy came around the corner, donning her new hot pink sundress as well as one of Aria's handbags and her Raybands. She strutted down the runway, stopping to pose at the end and giving her newly learned duck face as her parents took pictures with the flash on and tried their hardest not to laugh. They didn't find it funny because they thought she looked odd. The just thought she looked so adorable that aside from cooing, laughter was the most appropriate reaction.

They clapped as she walked away and watched her disappear back around the corner before unlocking their phones to compare and swap photos. They already had a million pictures of their Daisy on their phones, but they wanted a million more. And moments like these were the perfect ones to capture. These were the memories that would last a lifetime.

"Oh, send me that," Aria pointed a picture that Ezra had taken from an angle she had not.

"Mommy!" Daisy yelled. "I need help!"

"Please?" Aria called out.

"Please!" Daisy echoed.

"That's your cue," Ezra laughed.

"You'd think for a Daddy's Girl she'd call out for you more," Aria sighed as she pushed herself up and tried not to yawn. She was already tired from her pregnancy, but Ezra couldn't know that. Not just yet.

"You know she only calls out to me when she wants money," Ezra patted his wallet through his pants.

"That's because you always cave," Aria shrugged.

"I can't help myself," Ezra joked. "She looks just like you. How am I supposed to say no?"

"Mommy!" Daisy called out again. Apparently Aria was taking too long.

"That's _really_ my cue," Aria winked before turning to assist her little model into her next outfit. "I'll be back."

Five outfits later and it was time for the big reveal. Aria came back into the living room, trying not to let Ezra see her hands shaking. She had no doubt that he'd be over the moon about this, but for some reason she was still nervous.

"Modelling her final outfit of the evening, here comes Miss Daisy Fitz," Ezra used his best announcer voice for the final time that day.

Ezra's eyes were trained on Daisy as she rounded the corner, but Aria's were trained on Ezra. She wanted to watch his reaction. It took a couple of seconds before his face began transitioning from intrigued, to confused, to shocked, to elated.

Slowly, he took his eyes off of his daughter and put them on Aria. "Is that…are we…are you…"

"Pregnant?" Aria finished his sentence for him.

"Yeah," Ezra nodded.

"Yes," Aria smiled.

"Oh my God," He lunged forward and crushed his lips on hers.

Butterflies erupted in Aria's stomach. Even after all of these years, that man still had the same knee-weakening effect on her. Momentarily forgetting about the little girl standing directly in front of them, Aria wrapped her arms around Ezra's neck and pulled him close, moaning slightly into his mouth and twirling the hairs at the nape of his neck around her fingers. Ezra balled up the back of her shirt in one and and felt the bare skin of her back with the other. A familiar aching between Aria's legs made itself prominent, begging for friction, needing to be touched. Aria moved one hand from Ezra's neck and ran it down his chest until it touched the top of his belt buckle. But just as she began to undo the obstacle that kept her from her fiancé's wonderful member, she remembered the other _obstacle_ in the room. The world's biggest cock block, Daisy. And although both Aria and Ezra loved their daughter more than life itself, it was times like these that they wished she was at grandma's for the weekend.

With great reluctance, Aria pulled back and eyed her daughter out of the corner of her eye. Luckily, Daisy hadn't been watching her parents make out and had instead turned her attention to the Barbie Dolls that she had left scattered on the floor earlier that morning.

"You're really pregnant," Ezra breathed, placing one hand on her stomach. "Again."

"Mhmm," Aria laughed, covering his hand with her own.

"How far along are you?" A boyish grin sat on his face as he asked the question.

"I don't know," Aria shrugged. "My guess is three or four weeks."

"How long have you known?" Ezra cocked his head to the side.

"About a week," Aria bit her lip, suddenly becoming worried that he'd be upset with her for keeping the secret so long.

"A week?" Ezra gasped. "And you told our daughter before you told me, the baby's father, who kind of helped make it?" His tone was playful. He wasn't angry, thank God.

"Well she helped me tell you in a creative way," Aria defended her decision as she giggled.

"That was pretty creative," Ezra admitted. "Much better than the last time."

"Okay, that last time was a mess," Aria blushed.

The last time Aria was pregnant, they had found out together, in the bathroom at her mother's house while her family was having a reunion on the other side of the door. And when they came out, flushed from all of the emotions they experienced in such a short amount of time, everyone assumed they'd disappeared for a quickie. Ezra got dirty looks all night from Aria's Aunt Karen.

Aria almost wished that's how they found out this time around. They weren't nearly as scared or as anxious. The excitement and the joy from the first time ere definitely there, but none of he negative emotions seemed to resurface. They'd done it once. They could do it again.

Ezra nodded and cast his gaze over towards Daisy, who was now setting up her Barbie Dream House for a new game. "Think we can handle another one?"

Aria smirked, "Whether we can or not, we don't really have a choice, do we?"

"No, no, we don't," Ezra ran his hand through his hair as he laughed. "I am really excited though."

"Me too," Aria agreed. "But, uh, you realize this means we'll have to postpone our wedding…again."

Ezra brought his eyes back to Aria. "You don't think we could move it forward?"

"Not unless we want it at a courthouse with like, two witnesses," Aria huffed. She wanted a big, white wedding. That's what she'd always dreamed about. That's what Ezra had promised her. That's what she was going to have. Even if that meant she would wait until she was 40.

"Are you okay with waiting?" Ezra grabbed her hand and placed it in his lap.

"Yeah," Aria sighed. "I'm only getting married once. I'd like to have my dream wedding." She wasn't superstitious, but a part of her found herself hoping her words hadn't just jinxed their future.

"I want you to have that too," Ezra nodded.

"I just wish I could be Mrs. Fitz now without having the ceremony," Aria laughed curtly. "I want to be able to sign my checks 'Aria Fitz' and have my driver's license bare your name instead of mine."

Ezra opened his mouth to speak, but was beat to the punch by Daisy. "Daddy? Can I have a snack?"

"Sure Buggie," Ezra's tone perked up at the sound of his daughter's voice. "What do you want?"

"Nothing with sugar," Aria butt in. "She's got to take her nap as soon as she finishes."

"Animal crackers?" Daisy looked at Aria with hopeful doe eyes.

"That's fine," Aria complied.

"Yay!" Daisy jumped up from her spot and began running into the kitchen. "Animal crackers! Animal crackers! Animal crackers!"

"Good luck getting her to nap in ten minutes," Ezra laughed as he watched Daisy bounce her way across the floor like a bunny on speed.

"I'll just use my mommy super powers," Aria flexed her non-existent muscles.

"Oh yeah, and what are those?" Ezra put his hands on his hips and looked at her accusingly.

"Well one of my powers is getting our daughter to confess anything. Remind me to talk to you later about giving her ice cream when I'm not home," Aria winked.

"She told you?" Ezra's pupils dilated. He knew he was in trouble.

"Amongst other things," Aria lied to watch him squirm.

"Oh Lord," Ezra gulped.

"Be afraid, be very afraid," Aria cackled.

"Daddy!" Daisy screamed from the kitchen.

"We need to teach her patience," Ezra furrowed his brow.

"She's 3," Aria scoffed. "That won't be a word in her vocabulary for at least two more years."

Ezra smirked, "Well you know what won't be a word in your vocabulary for at least two more years if you yell at me about the ice cream incident?"

"What's that?" Aria crossed her arms.

"Mrs. _Fitz,"_ Ezra teased.

"You little shit," Aria whispered. "One year at least," Aria pointed to her stomach. "But two? That's evil."

"Say nothing about the ice cream and I'll reconsider," Ezra raised an eyebrow.

"That's blackmail," Aria pointed out.

"Oh well," Ezra laughed.

"I don't want to agree to your terms," Aria narrowed her eyes and desperately tried to keep a smirk off of her lips.

"Very well," Ezra folded his arms. "Ms. Montgomery."

Aria shook her head. She loved that they could still banter like this and hated it all at the same time. She enjoyed the sarcastic, asshole-ish comments they could make without worrying about the other's feelings getting hurt. But she didn't like that she didn't always have a good comeback. Like right now for instance. How does she respond to 'Ms. Montgomery'? Only one thing was coming to mind. It wasn't very clever, but if she held her ground and didn't get up from the couch to help him get Daisy a snack, maybe he wouldn't call her bluff. Even if he did, it was all she had, so she went for it.

"Mr. Fitz."

 **A/N: Well it's been quite the ride. Ending this story is extremely bittersweet. It's my baby but it's also time to move on. I hope you enjoyed the epilogue and are happy with the way their lives turned out. They certainly are. Thank you guys so much for reading all the way to the end and for leaving such wonderful and uplifting reviews all the time. I want y'all to know that I read each and every one of those reviews, no matter how long or short, and really take what you guys say to heart.**

 **As for my next story, a couple of you guys asked what it was going to be about, so to help ease the blow of Rumor Has It ending, I decided to take one of y'all's suggestions and put a description of it in this author's note. So without any further ado, here is the unofficial official summary of my next story, Of Playgrounds and Parenthood:**

 **They grew up together. Childhood best friends and next door neighbors, Aria Montgomery and Ezra Fitz spent the first eighteen years of their lives attached at the hip. Everyone in the small town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania thought the two would eventually get married. Any other outcome for the two seemed impossible. But when Aria get pregnant and marries another man at a young age, something that seemed impossible became reality. And a friendship that seemed unbreakable shattered into a million pieces. Years later, a turn of events land the former friends under the same roof. Will they rekindle their friendship and find that there is something more hidden beneath the rubble of their past? Or are things simply too broken to ever be mended? AU**

 **(I also want to add that this new story will alternate between their adulthood and childhood.)**

 **I hope you'll give this story a chance.**

 **Anyways, thanks again for reading. Let me know your finals thoughts by reviewing!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


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